Millions Gather In Tehran As Iran Enters Second Day Of Khamenei Funeral Ceremonies

TEHRAN – Millions of mourners gathered in Tehran on Sunday as Iran entered the second day of funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in one of the country’s largest public commemorations in decades.

Iranian authorities said the capital’s metro system carried more than seven million passengers between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, reflecting the scale of the crowds travelling to attend prayers and funeral processions.

At Tehran’s Grand Mosalla prayer complex, large crowds chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, calling for retaliation over Khamenei’s killing during the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran earlier this year. State television broadcast images of funeral prayers for Khamenei and four members of his family, who were also killed in the February 28 airstrike that triggered the regional conflict.

Senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, joined foreign delegations and religious leaders at the ceremonies.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said neither Washington nor Tehran was expected to launch attacks while the funeral ceremonies were underway, adding that talks between the two countries could resume once the mourning period concludes.

Iranian officials have planned a week-long series of funeral events across several cities, with processions scheduled in Qom, Najaf and Karbala before Khamenei is buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, in accordance with Shiite tradition.

The funeral has become both a religious observance and a political show of unity following months of conflict that left thousands dead and caused extensive damage across Iran. Analysts say the ceremonies are being closely watched internationally for signs of the country’s political direction under its new leadership and for any indication of whether the fragile ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel can hold.

By Agencies.