TEHRAN, Iran (AP) 鈥� Iran began a dayslong funeral Saturday for the , months after an airstrike killed him at the start of the war. He was 86.
Authorities unveiled the casket containing Khamenei鈥檚 body in a glass case at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, Iran鈥檚 capital. Mourners wept at the sight.
Some carried banners and flags, while billboards across the city bore Khamenei鈥檚 image. Crowds of men rhythmically beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite funerals.
鈥淚 am here to say goodbye to my beloved leader Ali Khamenei,鈥� said a weeping Hananeh Mousavi, 27, who attended the funeral alongside her mother. 鈥淚 never expected to see such a day. I wish I had died before this tragedy.”
An outdoor stage set up at the Grand Mosalla resembled the stage where Khamenei once gave his speeches at a husseiniyah at his compound in downtown Tehran. That site was destroyed in the Israeli airstrike that killed Khamenei and some of his family at the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28.
Iran鈥檚 government expects to see millions flood the streets of the capital in scenes reminiscent of the burial of the late .
鈥淲e attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion,鈥� said Ali Kazemi, who came from the northwestern city of Tabriz, some 530 kilometers (330 miles) away from Tehran.
A large turnout could provide a boost for Iran鈥檚 government, particularly as it tries to leverage its hold on in negotiations with the United States over a permanent end to the war, and as concern still lingers that Israel could attack yet again.
Iran chose July 4, the 250th anniversary of the creation of the U.S., to begin the funeral. While authorities did not acknowledge the timing, crowds at the ceremony in Tehran chanted: 鈥淒eath to America!鈥� 鈥� reprising a cry that’s been common in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and and hostage crisis.
鈥淲e knocked the hell out of Iran,鈥� U.S. President Donald Trump said in a speech at the same time in South Dakota in front of Mount Rushmore. 鈥淭hey want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral.鈥�
Khamenei鈥檚 body will be transported to cities in both Iran and neighboring Iraq. Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran for the mourning.
It remains unclear whether Iran鈥檚 new supreme leader, , will appear at his father鈥檚 funeral. The late supreme leader appeared in 1989 at Khomeini鈥檚 funeral, weeping visibly, as he began his journey to lead Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West.
Israel鈥檚 repeated threats to kill Mojtaba Khamenei drew a warning from Iran鈥檚 joint military command Thursday, which told Israel and the U.S. 鈥渢o avoid any miscalculation鈥� over the coming days.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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