Iran is preparing to hold a week of mass mourning in honor of its slain supreme leader
Iran’s ruling clerics are organizing extensive mass funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demonstrating public devotion to the Islamic Republic and affirming that its revolutionary spirit remains vibrant.
U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader in their first attack of the war. Funeral events will commence over the weekend in Tehran, with mass processions scheduled for next week in Qom and Mashhad, along with ceremonies in Iraq.
The significant public attendance at the funeral procession of the martyred leader and the other martyrs will essentially serve as another referendum for the Islamic Republic,” Qom Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Mohammad Saidi stated to state media.
If they perceive it as a referendum, the authorities are ensuring that the outcome is not left to chance.
They aim to rally millions of supporters to inundate Iran’s cities, providing transport, accommodation, and food, to showcase the strength of their theocratic state after emerging from what they perceived as a battle for survival.
Khamenei’s death and the succession of his son Mojtaba as Iran’s third supreme leader, amid a conflict with its greatest foes, signify a pivotal moment in the Islamic Republic’s 47-year history. Mojtaba, gravely injured in the attack that claimed his father’s life, has not appeared in any recent images since the onset of the war.
However, beneath the facade of unity and loyalty, experts suggest that public support for the Islamic Republic has become exceedingly fragile.
Throughout the nation, numerous Iranians are weary of years of sanctions stifling their economy and frustrated by the oppression justified by a 1979 revolution that only the older generation in a predominantly youthful populace can recall.
In December and January, as crowds filled the streets in response to inflation, many voices called for the downfall of Khamenei. The authorities responded to the unrest with force, resulting in the tragic loss of thousands of protesters.
As news of Khamenei’s killing started to spread in the early days of the war, residents of Tehran reported hearing cheers coming from behind the windows of homes and apartments in various parts of the city.
Tehran is currently marked by a tense and quiet atmosphere, standing in stark contrast to the emotionally charged last burial of a supreme leader—the father of the revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Millions of grieving individuals gathered around Khomeini’s funeral procession, with some climbing onto the ambulance, where the deceased leader’s bare leg protruded from his shroud as Revolutionary Guards struggled to hold back the throng.
Samira, 35, whose husband owns a restaurant in Tehran, mentioned that her family had no plans to attend any funeral events and would be leaving Tehran for the week. “It feels like time has stopped, and Basijis are everywhere,” she remarked, referring to the voluntary militia organization associated with the Revolutionary Guards.
MASS PROCESSIONS SCHEDULED IN MULTIPLE CITIES
In Iran’s theocratic system, Khamenei served as both the head of state and the leader of a revolutionary movement while also acting as the earthly representative of Shi’ite Islam’s 12th imam, who vanished in the ninth century.
Khamenei’s death in an enemy attack aligns with a significant Shi’ite tradition of martyrdom and mourning, characterized by processions of black-clad flagellants who beat their chests or backs during annual religious commemorations.
That powerful symbolism has been apparent in the black funeral flags draped over city streets since his passing and in the mourning ceremonies for him that allude to the martyrdom of Shi’ism’s third imam, Hossein.
On Thursday, workers were hanging new posters in Tehran that expressed support for the new leader Mojtaba, featuring images of the late Khamenei and a raised revolutionary fist behind him.
Discussions surrounding martyrdom hold significant importance for supporters of the Islamic Republic. “These are the hardest days of my life,” said Mohsen, 24, a Basij member in Tehran who requested anonymity for his family. “I do not remember the time when Imam Khomeini passed away, but my father says the entire country was engulfed in grief and mourning. Today, many are grieving, particularly due to the martyrdom of our leader,” he added.
Officials and foreign dignitaries, including representatives from Russia and China, will extend their condolences during events on Friday.
On Saturday, Khamenei’s remains will be transported to a mosque in Tehran, marking the initial stop in a national funerary tour. The funeral will also carry the bodies of his daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, the widow of the new leader, and his son Mojtaba, all killed in the same strike.
Hotels are providing 50% discounts, schools, mosques, and sports halls have been arranged to accommodate mourners, and bus and rail networks are being redirected to support the main events.
Following what officials are describing as a significant procession in central Tehran on Monday, the remains will be transported to the seminary city of Qom, the heart of Iran’s Shi’ite hierarchy, for ceremonies on Tuesday.
Ceremonies will take place in Iraq’s shrine cities of Najaf and Kerbala on Wednesday, featuring notable attendees from Iran’s regional network of Shi’ite proxies. He will be laid to rest on Thursday, following another procession, in Mashhad close to the tomb of Imam Reza, a figure of immense reverence in Iran.
Security measures will be stringent, featuring temporary airspace restrictions over Tehran and other cities, along with warnings of a strong reaction should either the United States or Israel continue their attacks.
We are demonstrating our strength to America and others in our unique manner,” stated Hossein Kheiri, 63, a veteran of the 1980-88 war with Iraq, as he stood beneath a poster of Khamenei in Tehran.
