Iran holds funeral for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as coffin passes through Tehran

Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Saturday as Iran commenced funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died at the age of 86. Khamenei, who had held the nation’s highest religious and political office since 1989, was laid to rest in the Imam Reza shrine complex, a site traditionally reserved for the most senior clerics. The state‑organized proceedings featured a procession through the capital’s main avenues, with flags at half‑mast and a period of national mourning declared by the government.

The ceremonies were attended by senior officials, members of the Revolutionary Guard, and representatives of allied political factions, underscoring Khamenei’s central role in shaping Iran’s domestic and foreign policies. Security forces were deployed to manage the large crowds, while televised broadcasts relayed the rites to a broader audience. The funeral marks a pivotal moment for Iran’s leadership structure, as the Assembly of Experts prepares to select a successor to the position that has defined the country’s direction for more than three decades.