A funeral prayer was held in Tehran today (Sunday) for the body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on the second day of his funeral rites, which drew large crowds, amid the absence of his son, the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared since assuming the post after his father.

The prayer was led by 97-year-old Jaafar Sobhani on Sunday.

In the front row near the coffin were several senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker of Parliament and chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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

Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Ahmad Vahidi, taking part in the funeral prayer for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (AP)

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

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

The prayer site and surrounding streets were packed with crowds. Iranian flags and red flags symbolizing revenge were raised among the masses, and some participants carried pictures of Khamenei. Along the route, refreshments were distributed to attendees, as temperatures are expected to again exceed 35 degrees Celsius 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 in 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 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 the burial ceremony to be held on Thursday in the city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, Ali Khamenei's birthplace.

Political presence

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 participating were also delegations from Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas.

Ali Khamenei's funeral was originally scheduled for March but was postponed due to war. The funeral comes at a pivotal time for Iran's leadership, which wants to display a scene reflecting its cohesion and the strength of its popular base after severe challenges, including the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025, popular protests in early 2026, and then the US-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 have been set up in one of the capital's major parks, according to AFP correspondents.

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