Khamenei’s Coffin Taken To Mashhad Ahead Of Burial Ceremony In Iran
Khamenei’s coffin reaches Mashhad for burial ceremony.
Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s coffin arrived in Mashhad on Thursday, escorted by at least one fighter jet as the country prepared for his burial in his hometown. The arrival marked the final stage of six days of funeral ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq following his death. Footage released by the supreme leader’s official website showed the aircraft carrying the coffin reaching the eastern holy city.
Along with Khamenei’s coffin, the remains of family members who were reportedly killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28 were also brought to Mashhad. The strikes were described as the beginning of a wider Middle East conflict. The coffins had travelled from Iraq, where large crowds had gathered for mourning ceremonies in the Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
The final burial ceremony was scheduled at the Shrine of Imam Reza, one of Iran’s most important religious sites and a major destination for Shia pilgrims. The shrine is the resting place of Imam Reza, the only one among the twelve Shia imams buried in Iran, and also houses the graves of several historical figures, including former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024.
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Khamenei was set to be buried alongside his infant granddaughter, daughter, son-in-law and Zahra Haddad Adel, the wife of his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who were reportedly killed in the February 28 strikes. His chief of staff, Mohammad Mohammadi-Golpaygani, had earlier said on state television that Khamenei had personally wished to be buried in Mashhad.
Thousands of supporters of the Islamic Republic gathered in Mashhad for the final day of mourning ceremonies. According to Iran’s official IRNA news agency, the burial prayer was to be led by Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani, a 101-year-old conservative religious figure associated with Iran’s clerical establishment.
The funeral took place amid renewed tensions between Iran and the United States, with both sides exchanging strikes for a second consecutive day, according to reports. Iran said it had resumed attacks targeting US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, while concerns grew that escalating hostilities linked to regional tensions and the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a wider conflict.
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