Funeral ceremonies for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei begin in Tehran

Mass funeral ceremonies for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commenced on Saturday at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran. Khamenei, who held power for 37 years, was killed alongside family members during a U.S. and Israeli airstrike on February 28. The current public memorial is part of a six-day series of events that will include processions through Qom, Najaf, and Karbala before an eventual burial in Mashhad. Mourners at the Grand Mosalla were seen chanting slogans against the U.S. and Israel, with some banners referencing revenge. Authorities expect between 15 and 20 million participants across the ceremonies in Tehran. The funeral, originally planned for March, was delayed due to the ongoing conflict. Khamenei's coffin, draped in an Iranian flag and topped with his black turban, was displayed on a platform alongside those of his deceased family members, including a granddaughter. Security measures were heightened as the government portrayed the event as a display of national unity and revolutionary resolve.