Iran Commences Khamenei's Funeral Rites Amidst Expected Mega Crowds

Massive throngs of Iranians were anticipated to gather on Saturday to bid their final farewells to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This marked the commencement of extensive funeral ceremonies, designed to project an image of strength to the Islamic Republic's adversaries. Iranian authorities project attendance figures ranging from 15 to 20 million individuals in Tehran alone over the next three days, as tributes are paid to the leader who governed the nation for three-and-a-half decades.

Six days of mourning events are scheduled to honor Khamenei, who served as the Islamic Republic's paramount leader from 1989 until his demise at 86 on February 28, coinciding with the first day of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. These proceedings will be closely observed for any appearance by Khamenei's son and designated successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named Supreme Leader a week after his father's death but has yet to be seen publicly. By Friday evening, hundreds of loyalists of the Islamic republic had already assembled outside the Grand Mosalla religious complex, awaiting its opening to the public at 6:00 am local time (0230 GMT) on Saturday. Somayye Hamedi, among those waiting, told AFP, "We want to say a final goodbye to our leader, which is why waiting like this isn’t painful or difficult for us."

Extensive security measures have been put in place, including road closures and anticipated airspace restrictions, for what is poised to be Iran's largest public gathering since the burial of Khamenei's predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989. The late leader's coffin will lie in state until Monday, followed by a procession through Tehran. On Tuesday, it will proceed to Qom, a significant clerical center, before moving to Shia holy cities in neighboring Iraq on Wednesday, and finally arriving for burial on Thursday in Khamenei’s birthplace, Mashhad, in northeastern Iran.

Officials who survived the recent conflict publicly displayed their sorrow and presented a united front on Friday. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker and lead negotiator in US talks, was visibly emotional. Other top Iranian officials paying respects included Ahmad Vahidi, who assumed leadership of the powerful Revolutionary Guards after his predecessor was killed in the same strikes that claimed Khamenei's life, and who had not been seen since. The coming days will be closely monitored for signs of Mojtaba Khamenei, who has only communicated through written statements and is believed to have been injured in the same strikes, although the extent of his injuries remains undisclosed. Ali Khamenei’s infant granddaughter, also among the casualties of the strikes, will be buried alongside other relatives.

International dignitaries present on Friday included Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been a mediator between Iran and the US, and Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, currently deputy head of the Russian Security Council, who attended on behalf of President Vladimir Putin. Representatives from the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah (both supported by Tehran), and the Taliban government in Afghanistan were also in attendance.

Following five weeks of hostilities, the Middle East conflict is currently paused due to an initial agreement between Iran and the US. However, Iranian officials have issued warnings that Tehran is prepared to recommence fighting if necessary. Ghalibaf declared, "The nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world," urging Iranians to participate en masse. Army chief Amir Hatami vowed that Israel and the US "will pay for the blood of the martyred leader and all the nation’s martyrs."

Authorities are also focused on ensuring the event proceeds without incident, acutely aware of the risk of crowd crushes, which have occurred at similar past events. Television broadcasts are providing guidelines on maintaining safety. With temperatures expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Tehran over the next few days, water tankers have been deployed to spray roads and help cool attendees. Ahead of the ceremonies, AFP correspondents noted that Tehran was uncharacteristically quiet, with many typically bustling streets experiencing significantly less traffic.