The body of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has travelled across two countries over six days, moving by road, helicopter and fighter jet-escorted aircraft, and in one instance, a refrigerated truck carrying Finnish supermarket branding.Khamenei’s final journey began with his body lying in state for two days at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex. Mourners filed past the coffins of Khamenei and several family members, his infant granddaughter, son-in-law, daughter and daughter-in-law, all killed in the February 28 US-Israeli strikes.On July 6, Khamenei’s body began a 12-hour procession through Tehran, carried on a trailer through crowds of mourners who threw flower petals on the coffins. From there, a helicopter transported the bodies to Qom, landing at the courtyard of the Jamkaran Mosque. The coffins were flown around the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh as a gesture of respect before being transferred for the next stage.
The Iraq leg
The coffins were then transported to Iraq, first arriving in Najaf, home to the shrine of Imam Ali, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. Iraqi officials declared a public holiday, and authorities said more than two million mourners attended.From Najaf, the coffins moved to Karbala, where they were unloaded from a refrigerated truck. The vehicle bore branding resembling Finland’s K Group, orange-and-white markings matching the retail chain’s visual identity, prompting Finnish retailer Kesko to launch an investigation.Reuters footage showed vapour escaping from the cargo area as men dressed in black removed a steel coffin draped in the Iranian flag. Kesko said a transport partner likely sold the vehicle without removing the decals, despite contractual obligations requiring them to be removed.Authorities in Karbala recorded the attendance of around seven million mourners. The transfer back to Iran was delayed by several hours due to the extraordinary size of the crowds.
Preservation and final flight
Khamenei’s body was preserved for more than four months between his death on February 28 and the funeral ceremonies in July. The refrigerated truck used in Karbala was one of the measures taken to maintain the coffin during the journey.The coffin was flown back to Iran on Thursday, escorted by a fighter jet, according to Reuters footage. The arrival in Mashhad, his birthplace and one of Iran’s holiest cities, marked the final stage of the funeral. Footage showed the coffin being moved through crowded streets towards the shrine of Imam Reza.Iranian state television said the funeral procession for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will conclude in Mashhad with a funeral prayer led by Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, a 101-year-old Shiite cleric known for his hardline views and close alignment with the Islamic Republic’s political establishment.
The elusive successor
Throughout the funeral, Iran’s current supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in public since he took over in March. His absence has fuelled speculation about his condition and whereabouts. Reports have circulated that he was injured in the February 28 strikes that killed his father, with varying accounts estimating his injuries from minor wounds to amputation. No new photographs or videos of him have been released, even from private circles.The burial prayer was led by Hossein Noori Hamedani, a 101-year-old ayatollah, according to IRNA. Khamenei was buried alongside his family members at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad.
