In the heart of Tehran, Iran, a weeklong series of funeral ceremonies commenced this Friday, as the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late supreme leader who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike in February, lay in state. The grand mosque in the city served as the venue for the somber event, with top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, paying their respects to Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic for over three decades. The funeral was delayed due to the ongoing war on Iran, but has attracted many world leaders from neutral and friendly states such as Iraq, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Millions are expected to participate in public mourning and grand processions throughout the week before Khamenei's burial next week, reminiscent of the 1989 funeral of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was attended by an estimated 10 million people. The final leg of this funeral will take place in Mashhad, a city significant for Shia Islam and the birthplace of the supreme leader. The mourners, identified as relatives of those killed during the recent war, have been seen throwing items on Khamenei's coffin, a traditional practice believed to bring blessings in Iran. The funeral is taking place at a critical juncture for Iran, serving as a display of unity and sending a message to the US and Israel, following the assassination of Khamenei, which strengthened rather than weakened the government.