Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Saturday, July 4, as the funeral procession for Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, got underway, with some participants displaying banners carrying hostile messages directed at the United States and its allies.
Anti-US Banners and Hostile Messages
Images from the procession showed a banner reading 'Kill Trump', with a bullet graphic passing through the former US president's name. Other placards featured images of US Vice President JD Vance, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside the words, 'There will be blood.' The display of anti-US and anti-Israel banners underscored the anger expressed by some mourners during the state funeral, as reported by the BBC.
Procession Expected to Last Hours
According to Iranian state media, the funeral began at Tehran's Grand Mosalla Mosque, where Khamenei's body had lain in state for two days before the public procession, Al Jazeera reported. Organisers said the cortege would travel approximately 10 kilometres through central Tehran and was expected to last between 10 and 12 hours before the body is flown to the holy city of Qom for further burial rites. Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that the vehicle carrying Khamenei's body had entered the designated funeral route as large crowds lined the streets.
Tight Security Amid Regional Tensions
Footage released by Iranian media showed Revolution Square filled with mourners ahead of the procession, while security remained tight throughout the capital. The funeral comes at a sensitive moment for Iran, with tensions remaining high following recent regional developments and strained relations between Tehran, Washington and Israel.
Background: US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Previously, Legit.ng reported that on June 17, the United States and Iran released the text of an interim agreement signed by their presidents to end the ongoing war. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that attacks could resume if Iran failed to honour its commitments, saying: 'We're going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement.' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also signed the memorandum, marking the first agreement between the two nations since the Islamic Republic’s founding in 1979. Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed the deal was already in effect.
