Mourners gathering around the coffin of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a ceremony ahead of his funeral at the Imam Khomeini Husseiniyeh in Tehran on Jul 3, 2026. (Photo: Iranian Supreme Leader website via AFP)
03 Jul 2026 01:36PM
(Updated: 03 Jul 2026 01:44PM)
TEHRAN: The body of Iran's supreme leader, who was killed in United States-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war, arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on Friday (Jul 3) ahead of his funeral, state media reported.Millions of people and a coterie of foreign dignitaries were expected to attend Saturday's official ceremony for Ali Khamenei, with Tehran's chief negotiator calling for a massive turnout to avenge his death.Photos showed mourners carrying Khamenei's coffin, emblazoned with Iran's tricolour flag, into the Grand Mosalla, one of the Islamic republic's most important ceremonial venues.Others show crowds at a pre-funeral ceremony clad in black, as the coffin is set down against a backdrop of red flowers and white butterflies hanging in the air.
Mourners gather around the coffin of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a ceremony ahead of his funeral at the Imam Khomeini Husseiniyeh in Tehran on Jul 3, 2026. (Photo: Iranian Supreme Leader website via AFP)
