The funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former Supreme Leader of Iran, has been taking place in Tehran since July 5, drawing large crowds during the mourning period. Iranian authorities welcomed delegations from various countries. The New York Times reported from Tehran for the first time since the war began.
Among those attending Khamenei's funeral were representatives from Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, militant groups that have formed an anti-U.S. front alongside Iran, according to France 24. The Iranian government has reportedly supported these groups for years, all of which have been designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and other Western nations.
On July 4, leaders from Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis gathered at the Grand Mosalla Mosque in Tehran to pay their respects to the late Supreme Leader. They also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Iranian state media.
The Hezbollah delegation was led by senior official Mohammed Fneish, a former minister, and included family members of fallen and injured fighters.
Hamas sent a delegation led by its political bureau chief, Mohammed Darwish, which included other members of the political bureau, such as Bassem Naeem. In July 2024, Hamas's then-political leader Ismail Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Fazekian, only to die in an Israeli airstrike at his Tehran hotel. The Islamic Jihad, another militant group allied with Hamas, was represented by its leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah, while the Houthis were represented by Daif Allah al-Shami.
Delegations from Russia, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Nicaragua also attended the funeral, according to Iran Wire.
During the funeral, Iranian authorities recited verses from the Quran in front of the delegations. However, the verses varied for each group. Al Jazeera reported that the verses recited for pro-Iran militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as for delegations from Pakistan, which mediated U.S.-Iran negotiations, contained positive messages about loyalty to promises and firm devotion to God. In contrast, the verses for the pro-U.S. Saudi delegation included, 'The believers saw their enemies doubled, but the Lord grants victory as He wills. This serves as a lesson for those with insight.' Analysts noted that this has led to various interpretations among observers.
Khamenei's funeral is set to last for seven days. An official event for foreign delegations took place on July 3, followed by the official funeral ceremonies at the Grand Mosalla Mosque on July 4 and 5. The ceremonies continued in Tehran on July 6, and on July 7, the funeral will move to Qom, a Shiite holy site. Iranian authorities plan to hold memorial services in Najaf and Karbala on July 8, with the final burial ceremony scheduled for July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei's birthplace.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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