In pictures: Iranians chant ‘revenge, revenge’ as they gather for supreme leader Khamenei’s funeral

Iran Prepares Grand Funeral for Assassinated Supreme Leader Khamenei

TEHRAN — Iran is making extensive preparations for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on February 28 in US-Israeli airstrikes, with authorities expecting between 15 and 20 million people to participate in Tehran alone, according to official statements and reports.

Preparations Underway at Grand Mosalla

At the entrance to the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, the vast religious complex where Khamenei's body is set to lie in state from Saturday, dozens of workers were laboring under an intense heatwave to prepare for the grand funeral. Security was on high alert, with dozens of personnel stationed at the main entrance, methodically stopping each car in the vicinity. Passengers must present a special permit to enter the premises, which have yet to be opened to the public.

AFP obtained special access on Thursday, as a handful of curious bystanders watched the preparations from just outside the complex. Within, the walls were draped in massive portraits of the late Khamenei, alongside black flags of mourning and red ones symbolizing martyrdom and vengeance. In one image, Khamenei — then the president — appears alongside young fighters in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.

Hossein Moghadassi, one of those who has been working on the site for days, told AFP, "We are planting flowers and watering the shrubs for the farewell ceremony of our martyred guide." He was clad in a hat and a scarf to cover his face as temperatures soared, with trucks transporting hundreds of boxes of drinking water in anticipation of the crowds.

Mourners Gather with Chants of Revenge

Early on Saturday, mourners beat their chests and chanted "revenge, revenge" as thousands gathered in Tehran for a final farewell to the assassinated leader. The mourners, some in tears, made their way through strict security towards the courtyard where Khamenei's coffin was placed for people to pay their respects.

"We have come not for the funeral but for revenge," a eulogist at the event chanted. "We're never going to give up your blood, which is the reddest line."

Hamidreza Shabani, an 18-year-old student, told AFP, "We must rise up and, God willing, avenge the blood of our leader."

The coffin, wrapped in an Iranian flag, was unveiled on a stage from behind dark blue velvet drapes after recitations from the Quran. It stood on a raised platform accompanied by the coffins of his family members also killed in the US-Israeli attack.

Funeral and Burial Plans

Authorities expect between 15 and 20 million people to participate in the funeral in Tehran alone, according to reports. Khamenei will be buried on July 9 in Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, marking the culmination of days of mourning and funeral ceremonies.