Massive Crowds Join Khamenei’s Funeral in Tehran, Chants for Revenge Against Trump

Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Monday to take part in the funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Many participants called for revenge against U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, chanting slogans demanding their deaths.

Khamenei’s coffin, draped in the Iranian flag, was carried alongside the coffins of members of his family who were killed in an airstrike at the beginning of the war. Iranian state television showed massive crowds stretching for several kilometers through the capital, with observers suggesting the turnout may have exceeded the funeral procession for Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

Many mourners tried to touch the coffin or have scarves and other items brushed against it, a traditional gesture believed to bring blessings. Firefighters sprayed water over the crowds to help people cope with the intense heat.

One mourner said they had not come simply to say goodbye but to vow revenge. Another said the people would continue Khamenei’s path and seek retaliation against the United States and Israel.

Throughout the procession, banners and placards condemning Trump and Netanyahu were displayed. In one location, an effigy of Trump was shown hanging.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Iran and the United States on a permanent end to the war, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s nuclear program remain on hold until after Khamenei’s burial.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has not yet appeared in public during the funeral ceremonies. According to the report, he is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.

Despite the ceasefire, Iran and the United States remain divided over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, and the conflict involving Hezbollah in Lebanon, leaving the future of negotiations uncertain.