A crowd of lakhs gathered to bid farewell to Khamenei, representatives of more than 100 countries including India participated.

Tehran. The funeral of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began on Saturday in Iran’s capital Tehran. According to news agencies, more than one crore people are expected to attend the final farewell ceremony. Apart from this, representatives of more than 100 countries have also arrived to participate in the ceremony. According to reports, 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some members of his family were killed in an air strike during the beginning of the war between America, Israel and Iran.

Khamenei’s mortal remains were kept in a glass coffin in the Grand Mosallah in Tehran, the capital of Iran, where a large number of people came to pay their last respects. Many people were seen crying emotionally, while some people were raising slogans of ‘We are all one, we will take revenge’. Many mourners arrived carrying banners and flags. Large billboards bearing Khamenei’s photo have been installed throughout Tehran. According to Shia tradition, many people beat their chests in mourning.

The stage built in the Grand Mosallah was designed in the same style as the one where Khamenei used to give his speeches earlier. The place was reportedly destroyed in the Israeli airstrike that killed him and some of his family members. Khamenei’s black turban was placed over his coffin, which is considered a symbol of his being a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. The coffins of other members of his family were also kept there.

The Iranian government expects millions of people to attend the funeral. It is believed to be the largest crowd since the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. Even at that time, about one crore people had participated in the last journey, although many people also died in the stampede. In view of the scorching heat, the organizers sprinkled water on the people and arranged for cold drinks.

On the Indian side, Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita attended Khamenei’s funeral. Syed Ata Hasnain wrote on social media platform Also expressed deep condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the recent conflict.

US President Donald Trump said during his address at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, ‘We have badly damaged Iran. They want to compromise. We gave them a week’s time for the last rites because we are good people. On the other hand, during the funeral in Tehran, a big banner with “#KillTrump” written in the hands of some people was also seen. At the same time, slogans of ‘Down with America’ were also raised, which have been heard frequently in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

According to Iranian officials, the funeral rites will last for several days. After this, Khamenei’s mortal remains will be taken to various cities of Iran and neighboring country Iraq. Many streets of Tehran have been closed due to the mourning program. Restrictions have also been imposed on airspace and normal activities in the city have been affected.

According to reports, it is not yet clear whether Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei will publicly attend his father’s funeral or not. His late wife’s coffin is also kept in the Grand Mosalla. Meanwhile, after Israel’s alleged threats against Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s Joint Military Command has warned Israel and America to ‘avoid any kind of miscalculation’ in the coming days.