The body of Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei arrived in the holy city of Qom on Monday evening, hours after a sea of people filled the streets of Tehran for his funeral procession in the capital, reports AFP.
Ordinary Iranians loyal to the Islamic republic joined top officials for the event, in which a truck carrying the bodies of Khamenei and four family members killed in a February 28 US-Israeli strike inched its way to Azadi Square in the west of the city.
Monday's procession will be followed by similar events in Qom on Tuesday and in Iraq's holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday.
"The body of the martyred leader has arrived in Qom," south of the capital, state television said on social media, alongside footage showing a helicopter carrying Khamenei’s body landing in the city.
Earlier Monday, AFP images showed huge numbers stretching along major boulevards in Tehran, while state television said millions turned out for an event comparable to the giant funeral of Khamenei’s predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
But on the third day of a marathon six-day sequence of funeral ceremonies, there was still no sign of Khamenei's successor and son Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since before his appointment a week after his father’s death.
Clad in black, people threw petals onto the coffins, including the tiny casket of Khamenei's granddaughter, who was only 14 months old when she was killed, according to state media.
"We will avenge the blood of the martyrs and our martyred imam from these criminals," said a man, 63, who gave his surname as Kazemi.
People carried blood-red flags — symbols of vengeance in Shia Islam — as well as slogans including "Kill Trump" and images of Mojtaba Khamenei.
"I came with honor and pride to show all the people of the world how much we loved him (Ali Khamenei) and how committed we are to the system, the people and the Islamic republic," said Melika Nourian, 22, a university student.
END/AFP/ASA
