Funeral Ceremonies for Ali Khamenei Begin

SadaNews - The body of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike, arrived at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in Tehran a day before the start of his six-day funeral, according to official media reports.

Iran's official news agency, "IRNA," reported on Telegram that "the body of the martyr leader of the Islamic Revolution has arrived at the large Imam Khomeini Mosque," using the official name of the religious complex.

Millions of people and several prominent foreign figures are expected to participate in Khamenei's official funeral ceremonies on Saturday, as the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf called for a massive public turnout for revenge for his killing.

Images showed mourners carrying Khamenei's coffin, which was draped in the three colors of the Iranian flag, into the Khomeini Mosque, one of the main sites designated for official ceremonies in the country. Other images displayed crowds dressed in black during pre-funeral ceremonies, while the coffin was placed against a backdrop of red flowers and white butterflies hanging in the air.

Preparations are underway for the public funeral of Khamenei, which had initially been postponed during the height of the war, while Iran and the United States maintain a ceasefire following the signing of a preliminary memorandum of understanding to halt the war.