Global leaders, senior Iranian officials and millions of mourners gathered in Tehran as Iran began an elaborate farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Iran has launched days of national mourning for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with senior Iranian officials overcome by emotion as world leaders and foreign delegations gathered in Tehran for one of the country’s largest state funeral ceremonies in recent history.
Television footage from the capital showed visibly emotional scenes during the farewell ceremony at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla Prayer Grounds, where Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were seen in tears while paying tribute to the late leader.
The funeral, which began on Friday, marks the start of several days of ceremonies that will culminate with Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad on July 9. Processions and commemorative events are also scheduled in the holy city of Qom as well as in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf.
Iranian authorities have mounted an extensive security operation around the ceremonies, with Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian describing the arrangements as the highest level of security ever deployed for such an event. Gates to the Grand Mosalla complex were opened early to accommodate the expected influx of mourners, while officials indicated contingency measures were in place should crowds exceed expectations.
Authorities estimate that between 15 million and 20 million people could participate in mourning events across the country, making it one of the largest public gatherings organised by the Islamic Republic in recent decades.
The ceremony drew Iran’s top political, judicial and military leadership. President Masoud Pezeshkian joined Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i and Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani in leading tributes to the country’s longest-serving supreme leader.
A large international contingent also travelled to Tehran, reflecting Iran’s diplomatic outreach despite continuing regional tensions.
Among the most prominent attendees were Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and senior representatives from Russia, China and several Central Asian nations.
Russia’s delegation was led by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt and several African and Latin American countries also sent senior representatives.
Parliamentary speakers from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan attended alongside ministers, diplomats and officials from dozens of other countries.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the ceremony attracted representatives from nearly 100 countries. According to Iranian officials, the gathering included at least eight heads of government, parliamentary speakers from 12 countries and numerous foreign ministers, cabinet members and special envoys.
Baghaei also confirmed that governments which had publicly supported military action by Israel and the United States against Iran were not invited to participate in the ceremonies.
India was represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain.
After attending the ceremony, Margherita said he had conveyed India’s condolences and respects on behalf of the Government and the people of India.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the high-level representation reflected the importance of the longstanding civilisational relationship between India and Iran, adding that historical people-to-people links continue to provide a strong foundation for bilateral political and economic engagement.
The Embassy of Iran in New Delhi also acknowledged the participation of Indian representatives and shared photographs from the ceremony, which included political leaders and other invited guests.
The funeral follows the death of Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli military strike in Tehran on February 28, an event that dramatically escalated tensions across the Middle East. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was subsequently selected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader in March.
Iranian authorities have announced a series of public closures, transport restrictions and enhanced security measures throughout the mourning period. Airspace restrictions are also being enforced over parts of Tehran and Mashhad during key ceremonial events.
Neighbouring Iraq has coordinated with Iranian authorities by announcing public closures in parts of Baghdad to facilitate funeral processions linked to the late Iranian leader.
State media described the ceremonies as among the most significant international gatherings hosted by Iran in recent years, bringing together political leaders, religious scholars, tribal representatives and diplomatic delegations from across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
The official mourning programme will continue through July 9, concluding with Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad after processions across multiple Iranian cities and commemorative events in Iraq.
