TEHRAN/ISLAMABAD (MNN); Iran has begun six days of national mourning and funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with representatives from more than 70 countries attending the official ceremonies in Tehran, underscoring the international significance of the event.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the participation of delegations from around the world would remain a lasting symbol of Iran’s diplomatic relations.
In a message posted in Arabic on social media platform X, Araghchi said Iran was honoured to receive representatives from over 70 countries, including several Arab nations, to pay tribute to the late Supreme Leader.
“This historic commemoration will remain an everlasting memory in the course of our shared relations,” he wrote, while sharing photographs of delegations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Iraq attending the funeral.
State television broadcast images showing the coffin of Ayatollah Khamenei, along with those of members of his family who were also killed, placed inside a glass enclosure as thousands of mourners gathered to pay their final respects.
Large crowds dressed in black assembled across Tehran from the early hours of Saturday. According to Iranian media, many people gathered outside metro stations before dawn, waiting for transport services to open so they could travel to the Grand Mosalla Mosque, where the main funeral ceremonies were held.
Thousands of mourners carrying red flags—widely regarded in Iran as symbols of resistance and calls for revenge—filled the mosque’s courtyard, chanting slogans against the United States and demanding retaliation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the massive public turnout as evidence of the late leader’s influence and popularity.
He said the participation of millions of mourners reflected “the greatness, dignity and strength of the martyred leader of the revolution” while also criticising what he described as hostile reactions from the United States and Israel.
In a separate tribute, President Pezeshkian pledged that Iran would remain steadfast despite the loss of its Supreme Leader.
“The great nation of Iran, with hearts filled with sorrow and strengthened by hope, will ensure that the flag upheld by the martyred leader will never fall,” he said.
Delegations representing Hezbollah and Hamas also participated in the funeral ceremonies.
According to Iranian state media, the Hezbollah delegation was headed by senior official and former minister Mohammed Fneish and included officials along with relatives of members killed or wounded during recent conflicts.
Hamas said its delegation was led by Political Bureau chief Mohammed Darwish and included senior members, including Bassem Naim.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump made a series of remarks regarding the funeral and the ongoing diplomatic process with Iran.
According to reports, Trump said he was surprised by the scenes of public mourning in Tehran and indicated that Washington and Tehran had mutually agreed to pause negotiations until the conclusion of the funeral ceremonies.
He also claimed that neither side would undertake military action during the funeral period in order to preserve prospects for future diplomatic engagement.
Separately, exiled former Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi criticised the funeral ceremonies, describing Ayatollah Khamenei as a “deceased dictator” and arguing that the official events did not reflect the views of all Iranians.
In a statement posted on social media, Pahlavi alleged that the government was using state resources to organise what he called a propaganda event, while asserting that many Iranians continued to seek political change following years of unrest.
Iranian authorities are expected to continue nationwide funeral processions over the coming days before Ayatollah Khamenei is laid to rest, with security remaining on high alert amid heightened regional tensions.
