Iran Begins Mass Mourning Ceremonies For Late Leader Khamenei
TEHRAN, July 4 (Bernama-dpa) -- Public mourning ceremonies for Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, begin on Saturday, months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the first day of the United States (US)-Israeli conflict with Iran, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Ceremonies are scheduled to take place over three days in the Iranian capital, Tehran, before Khamenei's body is taken to the pilgrimage city of Qom and to Iraq.
The former Supreme Leader is then to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad next Thursday.
Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in a targeted airstrike on his official residence in Tehran on February 28.
His death was followed by more than five weeks of fighting between Iran, Israel and the US, drawing in Iranian-backed groups including the Lebanese Hezbollah, before US and Iranian representatives agreed to a ceasefire in early April.
As Supreme Leader, Khamenei was Iran's highest political and religious authority, with the final say on all strategic matters.
Observers will be watching for Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, to appear at the ceremonies after his appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader a week after his father’s death.
Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the attack that killed his father and has not appeared in public since his appointment, sparking speculation about his health.
-- BERNAMA-dpa
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