Khamenei Funeral Draws Massive Crowds as Iran’s New Supreme Leader Remains Absent

Iran continued its week-long funeral ceremonies on Sunday for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with tens of thousands of mourners gathering in Tehran while his successor, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, remained out of public view.

State television showed Khamenei’s sons Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud praying beside their father’s coffin and the coffins of four other family members at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, one of Tehran’s largest religious complexes. Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership after his father’s death, did not attend the ceremony or appear in any official images.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several close relatives were killed in an airstrike after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. The conflict lasted for months before ending in a fragile ceasefire, leaving widespread destruction across the region while Iran’s Islamic Republic remained in power.

Following a day of lying in state for senior officials and foreign dignitaries, Khamenei’s coffin was displayed under glass alongside those of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter. Thousands of mourners, including military personnel, seminary students, and civilians, gathered to pay their respects, waving Iranian flags and chanting slogans against the United States and Israel. Authorities extended Sunday’s ceremony by an hour due to the large turnout.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the February attack. Reuters previously reported, citing people familiar with his inner circle, that he suffered severe facial injuries and significant damage to one or both legs during the strike.

One mourner told the semi-official Tasnim news agency she had hoped the new supreme leader would attend the funeral, describing his appearance as the crowd’s greatest wish.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf joined funeral prayers at the Mosalla. During the ceremony, Masoud Khamenei was seen wiping away tears with a keffiyeh as religious leaders recited prayers.

Iranian authorities said the Tehran metro recorded around seven million passenger trips between late Saturday and Sunday morning as mourners traveled to the capital’s center.

The funeral procession will continue in Tehran on Monday before Khamenei’s remains are taken to the holy city of Qom on Tuesday. The body will then travel to the Shi’ite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq on Wednesday before returning to Iran for a final procession in Mashhad, where he will be buried near the tomb of one of Shi’ite Islam’s revered imams.

Iranian officials are encouraging millions of people to participate in the remaining ceremonies by providing transportation, food, and lodging.

The conflict that claimed Khamenei’s life reportedly killed more than 3,000 people, including senior Iranian political and military leaders, while causing extensive damage to military installations and infrastructure. Iran says its military operations against U.S. bases and its actions in the Strait of Hormuz strengthened its negotiating position before the ceasefire.

The interim agreement reached with Washington includes the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and temporary sanctions relief. U.S. President Donald Trump said peace negotiations were paused for one week to allow the funeral events to take place.