A funeral prayer was held in Tehran on Sunday for the body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on the second day of his funeral ceremonies attended by large crowds, in the absence of his son, the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared since assuming office as his father's successor.

Ja'far Sobhani, 97, led the prayer on Sunday.

In the front row near the coffin were several senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and General Esmail Ghaani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, according to AFP.

Three sons of the late Supreme Leader, Masoud, Mostafa, and Meysam, also participated in the prayer, as shown in footage broadcast by state television.

Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Ahmad Vahidi participates in the funeral prayer for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (EPA)

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

Flags symbolizing revenge... millions expected to attend

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

The body is scheduled to lie in state until Sunday evening, before being prepared for the funeral procession set for Monday in the streets of the capital.

A scene from the funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his family members in Tehran (AP)

Authorities have declared Sunday and Monday public holidays, and say they expect between 15 million and 20 million people to attend 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 be held 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 tribute to Khamenei's body on Friday. Among the foreign delegations also participating were two from Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Hamas movement.

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 seeks to project a scene of cohesion and popular resilience after severe challenges including the twelve-day war with Israel in June 2025, popular protests in early 2026, and the US-Israeli war that is currently under a ceasefire.

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

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