Iran starts week-long funeral for slain Supreme Leader Khamenei

Tehran hosted a solemn ceremony on Monday as senior Iranian officials, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the foreign minister, joined foreign dignitaries to pay respects to General Amir Hossein Gholami, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force who was killed in a joint United States‑Israeli airstrike on February 12. The gathering took place at the Imam Khomeini Mausoleum, where Gholami’s body was laid in state before burial, and was attended by representatives from Russia, China, and several Gulf states, all of whom offered brief statements condemning the strike and expressing solidarity with Iran.

The strike, which targeted a convoy near Damascus and was confirmed by U.S. officials as a coordinated operation aimed at disrupting Iranian military activities in the region, has heightened tensions across the Middle East. Iranian leaders described the attack as a violation of international law and vowed to continue their strategic objectives, while the foreign guests reiterated calls for restraint and a diplomatic resolution to the broader conflict. The ceremony concluded with a traditional prayer, marking the end of the mourning period and signaling Tehran’s intent to maintain its regional posture despite the recent escalation.