Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday declared that the nation would ensure the flag of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei never falls, as massive funeral processions continue across the country. Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
Pezeshkian's Vow on Social Media
In a post on X, Pezeshkian wrote, "The great nation of Iran, with hearts brimming with sorrow and resolves infused with hope, will prove that the flag for whose enduring raise the martyred leader struggled shall not fall to the ground. And We desire to bestow a favor upon those who have been oppressed on earth and make them leaders and make them the inheritors."
Exiled Crown Prince Condemns Funeral as Propaganda
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, in a separate post on X, slammed the funeral as a "propaganda spectacle" orchestrated by the Iranian regime. He claimed that not a single democratic leader attended the event. Pahlavi stated, "To the foreign representatives in Tehran to mourn Iran's deceased dictator, Ali Khamenei: Iran is not mourning him. Iran is mourning more than 40,000 sons and daughters slaughtered on January 8 and 9 by Khamenei, Ghalibaf, and their machinery of repression." He added that the regime is spending vast amounts of the Iranian people's wealth to stage the spectacle, but that the nation's righteous anger will bring down the criminal regime.
Funeral Procession Details
According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, the funeral ceremony began at Tehran's Grand Imam Khomeini Mosalla, drawing massive crowds. The main funeral procession in Tehran is scheduled for Monday. Additional ceremonies will be held in Qom on Tuesday and in Mashhad on Thursday, where Khamenei will be laid to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine. Special farewell events will also take place in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday.
International Attendance and Expected Crowds
World leaders, including heads of state, dignitaries, and religious leaders from around the globe, have descended on Tehran to pay tribute. Over 10 million people, including representatives from more than 100 countries, are expected for the funeral, according to Al Jazeera. India was represented by Governor of Bihar Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. The crowds are projected to be the largest since Iranians protested living conditions in December and January, as reported by the New York Post.
