In Tehran on Sunday, prayers were held for the body of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the second day of funeral ceremonies, which were attended by large crowds.

Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, 97, led the prayers for the body.

It is not yet known whether the new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, will attend any of the ceremonies held over several days. He has not been seen since the American-Israeli strike that killed his father on February 28.

Mojtaba was injured in the attack and has only released written statements attributed to him since.

Masses participate in Khamenei's funeral in Tehran (AFP).

A large crowd gathered for prayers at the Grand Prayer Hall in Tehran, with surrounding streets also filled with mourners, according to a France-Presse correspondent.

President Masoud Pezeshkian and several senior officials, including the Speaker of Parliament and Chief Negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, attended the ceremony, as shown in footage broadcast by official television.

Khamenei's coffin lies alongside coffins of family members at the Imam Khomeini Shrine in Tehran (AFP).

"Great Sorrow"

Mohammad Mir Salehani, a 38-year-old cleric, said: “He (Ali Khamenei) was a father to all of us, and with his departure, we have become orphans. Our mourning is great.”

The body is scheduled to remain on display until Sunday evening before being prepared for the funeral procession set for Monday in the capital’s streets.

Authorities have declared Sunday and Monday public holidays, expecting attendance of between 15 and 20 million people in Tehran alone.

After Monday’s procession in Tehran, the coffin will stop in several cities in Iran and Iraq, with the burial scheduled for Thursday in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, Ali Khamenei’s birthplace.

Stalls for participants in the funeral (AFP).

Political Attendance

Alongside public crowds, a large number of Iranian and foreign officials paid their respects on Friday.

Among the participating delegations were representatives from Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas.

Ali Khamenei led Iran for more than three decades until his death at the age of 86. His funeral had been scheduled for March but was postponed due to the war.

Participants in the funeral raise photos of Khamenei (AFP).

The funeral comes at a pivotal moment for the leadership of the Islamic Republic, which seeks to project cohesion and strong popular support following major challenges, including the twelve-day war with Israel in June 2025, and popular protests at the start of 2026, followed by the American-Israeli war that is currently under a ceasefire.