Iran’s funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in a U.S. military strike on February 28, have drawn international attention following controversial remarks made during the memorial events.The funeral ceremonies began on July 4 and are being held across several locations, including the holy Iraqi cities of Karbala and Najaf. Khamenei is scheduled to be laid to rest in the Iranian city of Mashhad on July 9.During the second day of the funeral ceremony in Tehran, poet Rasouli addressed hundreds of mourners and delivered a speech strongly condemning the United States and Israel. In his address, he questioned why former U.S. President Donald Trump was still alive, describing him as “the world’s most despicable person,” and called for him to receive the death penalty. His remarks were met with loud applause from the crowd. Protest banners calling for the deaths of Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister were also displayed at the event.
Several senior Iranian leaders attended the funeral, including Khamenei’s sons Masoud, Meysam, and Mostafa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. However, Khamenei’s son and current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was absent. According to reports, he did not attend due to alleged Israeli threats warning that he could be targeted for assassination.Meanwhile, Donald Trump made controversial remarks regarding the funeral. He claimed that a single military strike during the ceremony could eliminate Iran’s remaining leadership, as they were gathered in one place. However, he said such an attack would not be carried out because it would leave no one available for future negotiations with Iran.
