On Monday, July 6, a 99-year-old cleric and a frail elderly woman from Shiraz were among the mourners who gathered in Tehran to pay their respects to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The funeral procession, which attracted vast crowds dressed in black, was held in the capital city before heading to Mehrabad International Airport for the burial ceremonies. Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin was carried through the city alongside the coffins of several family members killed during the recent Iran-Israel conflict. The large turnout was seen as a demonstration of national unity by Iranian authorities, as the country continues diplomatic engagement with the United States following the conflict. The elderly woman, despite her poor health and limited physical strength, travelled from Shiraz to Tehran to bid farewell to Khamenei, declining repeated offers of assistance and completing the journey on her own. A video of her determination was widely shared on social media. Meanwhile, 99-year-old Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, the secretary of Iran’s Guardian Council, also joined the mourners, walking with the support of aides. Jannati has served as secretary of the Guardian Council since 1992 and previously chaired the Assembly of Experts. The funeral procession was a testament to the deep love and respect Iranians held for their leader.
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📰 Source: Siasat Gulf