Thousands of mourners lining the streets of Tehran on Monday called for revenge over the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as his funeral procession continued through the Iranian capital.
Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin, along with the coffins of family members killed in the February 28 airstrike that marked the start of the Israel-U.S. military campaign against Iran, was transported through the city on a ceremonial truck en route to Mehrabad International Airport.
Large crowds dressed in black gathered along the procession route, with many reaching out to touch the vehicle carrying the coffins.
Others threw scarves and personal items toward attendants in the hope they would be brushed against the caskets, a traditional practice in Iran believed by many to convey blessings.
The procession also featured displays of anger toward Israel and the United States. Some mourners carried placards calling for the deaths of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while an effigy depicting Trump hanging was seen along the route.
Many participants described the funeral as more than a farewell ceremony, saying it represented a call for retaliation.
“Today that we are here for the funeral for our leader, it’s a very tough day,” one mourner, Fatima Hassan, said.
“We are not here to say goodbye to him; we are here for revenge. And we will take revenge.”
The funeral procession is part of Iran’s week-long state mourning ceremonies for Khamenei, whose death has heightened tensions across the Middle East following months of conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.