1 of 5 | Crowds of mourners gathered around the coffin of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during his funeral in Tehran on Friday. Photo courtesy KHAMENEI.IR | License Photo
July 3 (UPI) -- Iran began a weeklong funeral ceremony for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members Friday that's expected to stretch across five sites and two countries.
Local and foreign officials filed past the coffins of the slain leader and his family at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran as crowds gathered outside the mosque. Among those in attendance were Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Leaders from Iraq, Armenia, Tajikistan and other countries were also there.
The coffins were expected to lie inside the Great Hall of the mosque for three days, The Guardian reported. A formal ceremony was scheduled to take place Saturday and the burial will be Thursday in Mashhad.
Officials planned a 6-mile procession Monday from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square. The coffin will also be present at two sites in Iraq during the week of events.
