Thousands Mourn Former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran

Thousands of people gathered in Tehran for the second day of mourning for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an air strike on February 28. The event included displays of coffins, official attendance by senior Iranian figures, and a state-organized funeral procession schedule. Public sentiment ranged from support for the establishment to calls for revenge against the United States and Israel.

Funeral Procession and Public Display

Iranian state television broadcast images of three of Khamenei's sons—Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud—praying behind coffins containing the remains of Ali Khamenei, his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter. State authorities emphasized Khamenei's status as a "martyr" and framed grief as a national duty.

Senior officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani attended the ceremony. Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed supreme leader in March, was not present. Analysts cited by sources attribute his absence to security concerns regarding Israeli threats.

Government Mobilization and Logistics

The government announced a week of funeral processions, including three days of mourning in Tehran followed by travel through cities in Iran and Iraq before burial in Mashhad. Stops include Qom (for clerical legitimacy), Najaf and Karbala in Iraq (connections to Imam Ali and the martyrdom of Hussein), and the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. Authorities are providing transport, food, and lodging for mourners. The Tehran metro reported approximately seven million passenger journeys from late Saturday to Sunday morning.

Official Messaging and Symbolism

Official banners displayed the slogan "We must rise" (Arabic "Rise for God"), which references a Quranic verse about standing for a divine cause. A red flag bearing the phrase "O avengers of Hussein" in Arabic linked Khamenei's killing to the Battle of Karbala, implying retaliation against the US and Israel as a religious duty. The defining image used in the processions is an illustration of Khamenei's clenched fist on a red and black background, based on a text message from successor Mojtaba Khamenei. Red and black are intended to symbolize grief, martyrdom, and a call for revenge.

"This surging sea of people ... is crying out two slogans: Resistance against the enemies, and revenge for the blood of Iran's martyred leader."
— Supreme National Security Council statement

Attendance by Allied Groups

Officials from Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Houthis attended events. Quranic verses were read to each delegation; the verse for the Saudi delegation described the Battle of Badr, interpreted as depicting believers versus non-believers.

Public Sentiment

Some attendees expressed support for the establishment and a desire for revenge, while others hoped for stability.

"They killed our imam, we should kill their leader, [US President Donald] Trump."
— Gholamreza Sabooni, grocery store worker, to the Associated Press

University professor Mostafa Khoshcheshm stated that the crowd's message is that Iranians are not deceived by negotiations with the US and Israel.

Background

Ali Khamenei served as supreme leader from 1989 until his death. His son Mojtaba became head of state in March, but has remained out of public view due to security risks. The retaliation strategy remains unclear; after General Qassem Soleimani's assassination in 2020, Iran attacked US bases in Iraq without fatalities, stating a long-term goal of expelling US forces from the region.