Saira Imran 
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Funeral Held in Qom After Tehran
A second historic funeral prayer for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been held in Qom, after Tehran. Thousands of mourners gathered at Jamkaran Mosque to pay their final respects.
According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the funeral prayer took place on the outskirts of Qom. The ceremony honored Ayatollah Khamenei along with four members of his family who were also killed in the recent conflict.
Videos shared by the agency showed huge crowds filling the mosque and surrounding areas. Many mourners were seen in tears as they joined the prayers and farewell ceremonies.
Body Flown to Qom by Helicopter
Iranian state television reported that a helicopter transported Ayatollah Khamenei’s body from Tehran to Qom on Tuesday. Thousands of people lined the streets as the funeral procession moved through the holy city.
The funeral in Qom came after a large ceremony in Tehran, where millions of people gathered to honor the late leader.
Iran is currently observing six days of official mourning. The ceremonies will end on Thursday with Ayatollah Khamenei’s burial in his hometown of Mashhad.
Massive Crowds Attend Tehran Funeral Procession
The main funeral procession in Tehran drew enormous crowds. A large truck carried the coffins of Ayatollah Khamenei and four members of his family, who were reportedly killed in a joint US and Israeli attack on February 28.
The procession traveled along major roads in the Iranian capital before reaching Azadi Square, where thousands more people waited to pay their respects.
Iranian state television described the gathering as one of the largest in the country’s modern history. Officials compared the crowd to the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
Many mourners dressed in black threw flower petals onto the coffins as they passed by. One of the coffins belonged to Khamenei’s 14-month-old granddaughter, whose death added to the emotional atmosphere.
Mourners Express Loyalty and Defiance
People attending the funeral shared emotional messages with local and international media.
A mourner identified as Hamed told Al Jazeera that the United States and Israel wanted to divide Iran, but he believed Ayatollah Khamenei had protected the country’s unity. He said people had come to thank the late leader for his service.
Another mourner, Marzieh, said Iranians had gathered to promise that the blood of their “martyr leader” would not be forgotten. She added that people wanted to renew their loyalty to the leader who ruled Iran for nearly four decades.
Successor Mojtaba Khamenei Absent from Public Ceremony
One notable absence during the funeral ceremonies was Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran’s current Supreme Leader.
He has not appeared in public since taking over the leadership one week after his father’s death.
Mohammad Eslami, a research fellow at Tehran University, said Mojtaba Khamenei likely stayed away because of ongoing security concerns. He explained that although a ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel is currently in place, it remains fragile.
According to Eslami, sensitive negotiations continue behind the scenes, making strict security measures necessary. He said these conditions made a public appearance difficult.
Emergency Teams Treat Thousands During Funeral Events
The huge crowds also created medical challenges.
Jafar Miadfar, head of Iran’s emergency services, told the state news agency IRNA that medical teams treated more than 34,000 people during the funeral ceremonies.
He said emergency workers responded to cases involving exhaustion, dehydration, and other health issues caused by the large gatherings. Officials confirmed that no deaths were reported during the events.
Iran’s Senior Leadership Attends Ceremony
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the funeral alongside several senior government and military officials.
After the ceremony, the president posted on social media that Iran would continue moving forward with dignity, progress, and national pride.
Among those present were Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani, and Supreme National Security Council chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.
Iranian media reported that officials described the massive turnout as a clear message of national unity and determination in the face of foreign pressure. Red flags and slogans calling for revenge were visible throughout the procession.
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served from 2005 to 2013, also attended the funeral. His appearance drew attention because he had largely remained out of the public eye since the recent conflict and had experienced political differences with Ayatollah Khamenei during his final years in office.
Next Stop: Najaf and Karbala Before Final Burial
Following the ceremonies in Qom, officials plan to take Ayatollah Khamenei’s body to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday for additional farewell ceremonies.
The final burial will take place on Thursday in Mashhad, Ayatollah Khamenei’s birthplace, bringing several days of national mourning to an end.
The funeral events have become one of the largest public gatherings in Iran in recent years, reflecting the significance of the late leader’s role in the country’s political and religious history.
