Iranians flock to week-long funeral rites for Khamenei

AI Summary

Iranians gathered in large numbers at a prayer complex in Tehran to participate in the week-long funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The ceremonies show mass public devotion following his death caused by an airstrike linked to the war involving the U.S. and Israel.

By Parisa Hafezi, Ahmed Elimam and Eman Abouhassira DUBAI, July 4 (Reuters) - Mourners thronged a vast prayer complex in Tehran on Saturday as the week-long funeral ceremonies of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began with the national anthem, religious eulogies and readings from the Koran. Iran is staging mass funeral processions for Khamenei – whose 37-year reign was brought to an end in February by the first airstrike of the war launched by the U.S. and Israel – in a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic's theocratic state and revolutionary zeal.