Funeral prayers were held in Tehran on Sunday for the body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the second day of his funeral ceremonies, which were attended by large crowds, in the absence of his son, the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared since succeeding his father.

The prayers on Sunday were led by 97-year-old Jafar Sobhani.

In the front row near the coffin were several top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and General Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Agence France-Presse.

Also participating in the prayers were three sons of the late supreme leader, Masoud, Mostafa, and Meysam, according to footage broadcast by state television.

Commander of the IRGC Ahmad Vahidi participates in the funeral prayer for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (EPA).

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was injured in the attack that killed his father on February 28, and since then only written statements attributed to him have been issued.

Flags symbolizing vengeance... and expectations of millions in attendance.

The prayer site and surrounding streets were packed with crowds. Iranian flags and red flags symbolizing vengeance were raised among the masses, and some participants carried pictures of Khamenei. Along the way, refreshments were distributed to attendees, as temperatures were expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius again during the day.

The body is scheduled to remain lying in state until Sunday evening, before being prepared for the funeral procession planned for Monday on the streets of the capital.

Part of the funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his family members in Tehran (AP).

Authorities have declared Sunday and Monday as official holidays, and say they expect between 15 million and 20 million attendees in Tehran alone.

After Monday's procession in Tehran, the coffin is scheduled to stop in several cities in Iran and Iraq, with burial ceremonies to take place on Thursday in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, the birthplace of Ali Khamenei.

Political attendance.

Alongside the popular crowds, a large number of Iranian and foreign officials paid their respects to Khamenei's body on Friday. Among the foreign delegations were also two from Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Hamas movement.

Ali Khamenei's funeral was originally scheduled for March but was postponed due to the war. The funeral comes at a critical juncture for Iran's leadership, which wants to project an image reflecting its cohesion and the resilience of its popular base after severe challenges: the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025, popular protests in early 2026, and the American-Israeli war that is currently under a ceasefire.

To accommodate Iranians arriving from across the country, more than 400 tents belonging to the Iranian Red Crescent were set up in one of the capital's major parks, according to AFP reporters.

The coffin of Khamenei, with his black turban placed on it, was laid out, alongside the coffins of four family members killed with him on February 28 as the war began.