Mourners gather at the Grand Mosalla to pay their final respects to Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of his funeral ceremonies in Tehran on July 4, 2026. Photo: Atta Kenare / AFP / Lehtikuva
International news
Iran has begun six days of funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike at the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Huge crowds of mourners gathered before dawn on Saturday at the Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran, where Khamenei's coffin was placed on a raised platform alongside the coffins of members of his family who were also killed in the 28 February attack.
The funeral marks the start of a nationwide mourning period. More than 10 million people, including representatives from more than 100 countries, are expected in Tehran for the funeral.
