On Monday, July 6, mourners gathered in Tehran to pay their respects to former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, marking the third day of funeral ceremonies. The 10-kilometre funeral procession, which began at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, is expected to last between 10 and 12 hours. Organisers have described it as the largest public gathering in Iran’s modern history. As the procession made its way through the city, it passed through notable landmarks such as Imam Hussein Square, Enqelab Square, and Azadi Square before concluding near Mehrabad Airport. The funeral ceremonies will continue in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday, followed by commemorative processions at the shrines of Imam Ali in Najaf and Imam Hussein and Hazrat Abbas in Karbala on Wednesday, July 8. Khamenei is scheduled to be laid to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on Thursday, July 9, as per his final wishes. With cumulative attendance at the funeral events surpassing 10 million since Friday, July 3, the city of Tehran came to a standstill as crowds filled the streets. Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref joined the funeral procession, walking alongside other officials as the ceremonies continued. The vehicle carrying Khamenei’s coffin was accompanied by mourners chanting and waving flags, with the route set to be revisited by helicopter after the ceremony concluded.
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📰 Source: Siasat Gulf