Mourning in Tehran: The Symbolic Weight of Khamenei's Funeral As Iran's capital city falls silent for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral procession, ordinary Iranians are gathering to pay respects to the late Supreme Leader.
The outpouring of grief is not surprising, given Khamenei's nearly four decade tenure marked by a unique blend of piety and pragmatism. The scale of this public display is tempered by the symbolism surrounding it.
Khamenei's funeral procession will wind its way through Tehran's streets, accompanied by the flag draped coffins of his family members killed in an Israeli airstrike on February 28th.