Millions gather in Tehran for Khamenei's state funeral, 'revenge' chants fill the air

A sea of mourners has flooded the streets of Tehran to pay their final respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. More than one million people are expected to attend his funeral and mourning ceremonies.

The coffin of the late leader was unveiled at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran on Saturday, July 4, with family members present. Mourners broke down in tears as they gathered to honour their beloved leader.

The state farewell ceremony was filled with grief, emotion and calls for revenge. Many mourners carried red flags, a symbol of revenge in Iran, while chanting "Death to America" and "Revenge, revenge."

State media showed Khamenei's body placed in a special glass-enclosed coffin, alongside the coffins of his family members. Thousands of mourners wept as they paid their final respects.

From early morning, crowds gathered at the Grand Mosalla complex and surrounding areas. The venue was filled to capacity before the ceremony began, with many walking several kilometres to attend. Long queues were also seen at Tehran's metro stations from early morning.

One mourner, Somayeh, told Al Jazeera, "We have come out of love for our leader. This wait is both sweet and painful."

The ceremony was attended by hundreds of thousands from various provinces of Iran, as well as high-level delegations from Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Russia, China, Bangladesh and other countries. Representatives from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Developing-8 (D-8) were also present.

Strict security measures have been implemented across Iran, and traffic restrictions have been imposed on various roads in Tehran.

Khamenei, 86, was killed on the first day of the joint US-Israeli aggression against Iran on February 28, along with several members of his family. He was at his residence in Tehran at the time. His burial was postponed due to the intense conflict with the US and Israel.

Following the ceasefire, the state funeral and burial are now being held after four months. The funeral formalities began on Friday, July 3, and will continue for seven days.