Khamenei Laid to Rest in Mashhad

Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried on Thursday at the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, according to Reuters, marking the culmination of a week-long funeral procession that moved through several Iranian and Iraqi cities. Khamenei's coffin was carried through crowded streets by truck before a helicopter lifted it the final stretch to the shrine, as thick crowds of mourners made it impossible for the vehicle to pass through.

Khamenei, 86, was killed on February 28 in joint US-Israeli strikes that also reportedly killed several family members and wounded his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. According to Reuters, Mojtaba has not appeared in public since the strikes and is believed to be in hiding, with people close to his inner circle saying he suffered serious injuries, including a disfigured face and damage to his legs.

Mourners Display Threats Against US and Israeli Leaders

Throughout the funeral events, mourners carried banners and placards threatening the lives of US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to multiple wire reports including Reuters and Al Jazeera. Some banners depicted Trump's image with a bullet, while others featured Trump, Vance, Hegseth, and Netanyahu shown in the crosshairs of a gunsight.

At one funeral event, eulogist Mohammad Rasouli called for Trump's killing while addressing mourners, according to Al Jazeera, asking the crowd why they should not "kill the man who killed my imam." Crowds also chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" at multiple points during the proceedings, wire reports said.

Trump Responds, Says US Not Planning Further Action Against Iranian Leadership

Speaking a day earlier, Trump said the United States could eliminate the surviving Iranian leadership with "one shot" if it chose to, pointing to the large gathering of top Iranian officials at the funeral, according to Al Jazeera. He added, however, that Washington was not planning to take such a step and intended to keep diplomatic channels with Tehran open.

Officials From Multiple Countries Attend

Delegations from several countries, including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Tajikistan, and Turkey, sent representatives to pay respects during the funeral events, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV. Iranian authorities have presented the scale of the funeral as a demonstration of public loyalty to the Islamic Republic, though Reuters noted that Iran continues to face significant internal unrest tied to poverty and political repression.

Backdrop of Continuing US-Iran Hostilities

The funeral took place as hostilities between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate. This week, US forces struck more than 100 Iranian-linked targets, while Iran launched attacks on American military installations in the region, including in Jordan, according to wire reports. Trump has separately declared the US-Iran memorandum of understanding effectively over following Iranian attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.