War in West Asia LIVE: Iran displays the Supreme Leader's coffin in a glass case in front of sobbing mourners

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Before the Grand Mosalla religious complex opened to the public on Saturday morning, hundreds of Islamic Republic supporters had already gathered outside on Friday night.



On Saturday, July 4, 2026, Iran started a multi-day burial for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's late Supreme Leader, who was killed by an airstrike during the beginning of the conflict. He was eighty-six.

At the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, Iran's capital, authorities unveiled the casket holding Khamenei's body in a glass case. Some of the mourners chanted, "Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!" as they sobbed at what they saw. Some had flags and banners, while Khamenei's picture was displayed on billboards all throughout the city. At Shiite funerals, it is customary for crowds of men to beat their chests rhythmically in sadness.

The ceremonies will be closely watched for any indications of Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed Supreme Leader a week after his father's murder but has not yet made an appearance in public.

The dilemma of Iran and the West's fall
Due in significant part to their financial might, military might, and technological advancements, the United States and Western Europe have dominated world events since 1945. This state of affairs persisted until quite recently. However, the perception of the United States as a superpower has started to wane, if not completely disappear, due to the emergence of China and the increasing prominence of several "middle powers" in recent years.

In photos | Iran honors the late leader Ali Khamenei
Iranian authorities and foreign dignitaries flocked to Tehran, where the deceased Supreme Leader Ali Khameneiat's body is lying in state, on Friday, July 3, 2026, to pay their last respects to him. This marked the beginning of a week of funeral rites.

Earlier, Khamenei's casket had been brought into the complex, with his black turban on top and covered in an Islamic Republic flag.

Before processions, crowds arrive at Khamenei's funeral home: AFP journalist
Before the formal start, AFP journalists saw thousands of mourners enter Tehran's Grand Mosalla for the funeral rites of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

People crowded the large complex's main courtyard as officials enforced severe traffic restrictions throughout the capital. Another AFP correspondent saw mourners going several km to reach the venue.

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