ALWAGHT- The funeral and burial of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei drew millions to Mashhad, marking the end of six days of state-declared mourning across Iran and Iraq.
Millions of Iranians converged on the holy city of Mashhad on Thursday for the funeral and burial of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, bringing to a close six days of official and public mourning observed across Iran and neighboring Iraq. The martyred leader's body arrived at Mashhad Airport aboard an Iranian civilian aircraft escorted by a fighter jet, following earlier funeral ceremonies held in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. Among those in attendance at the final stop of the procession was General Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC's Quds Force.
The massive turnout saw mourners pack the streets leading to the shrine of Imam Ali al-Rida (AS) and Ayatollah Khamenei's birthplace, with many traveling from across Iran by bus despite recent US aggression targeting metro stations. Participants carried Iranian flags and portraits of the late leader, chanting slogans and raising banners calling for retaliation for his assassination—attributed to US-Israeli strikes earlier this year. Ayatollah Khamenei was ultimately laid to rest in his hometown beside the shrine.
Iran's military leadership hailed the unprecedented crowds as a powerful display of national unity and defiance. Major General Ali Abdollahi described the six days of mourning as "an epic rarely seen" that symbolized dignity, insight, and resistance, while warning the US and Israel not to mistake the grief for weakness. He stressed that the mourning would fuel determination to avenge Ayatollah Khamenei and other martyrs, vowing on behalf of Iran's Armed Forces that those responsible for the "terrorist crimes" would be held accountable.
