The funeral for Ali Khamenei, the former Iranian supreme leader, has commenced at the Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran, with expectations of up to 30 million attendees. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike at the onset of the conflict involving the US and Israel, marking the end of his 37-year leadership.
The six-day event is designed to convey political and religious messages of resistance. Mourners have gathered in large numbers, with officials urging them to manage crowd sizes to prevent dangerous conditions. The funeral will also include processions through Iraqi Shia cities at the request of local politicians.