The body of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was laid to rest on Thursday beside the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, bringing to a close days of historic funeral ceremonies attended by millions of mourners from Iran and across the world.

An immense crowd filled the streets of the northeastern holy city as the coffin of the martyred Leader arrived from Iraq, where unprecedented farewell ceremonies had been held in the sacred cities of Najaf and Karbala. Pilgrims and mourners from across Iran and dozens of other countries gathered to pay their final respects, turning Mashhad into the center of an extraordinary display of grief, loyalty, and unity.

The burial ceremony marked the culmination of several days of nationwide mourning, concluding at the revered mausoleum of Imam Reza. The body of Ayatollah Khamenei was laid to rest in the shrine's Dar al-Dhikr Rawaq, fulfilling his final wishes.

Senior Iranian officials and prominent political and religious figures attended the solemn ceremony, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, former Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, and Mashhad Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Alamolhoda.

The final funeral prayers were led by the martyred Leader's son, Ayatollah Seyyed Mostafa Khamenei, in an emotional ceremony attended by millions of mourners who filled the shrine and surrounding streets.

The burial in Mashhad followed massive funeral processions in Iraq, where an estimated 3.8 million mourners gathered around the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf before accompanying the coffin along the Arbaeen route to the holy city of Karbala. The Iraqi farewell came after millions of Iranians had paid tribute to Ayatollah Khamenei during historic funeral ceremonies in Tehran and Qom, after which his body was taken to Iraq at the request of leading Iraqi religious scholars.

The funeral processions across Iran and Iraq were among the largest ever witnessed in the region, reflecting the profound reverence enjoyed by Ayatollah Khamenei throughout the Islamic world. Waves of mourners carrying Iranian flags and religious banners filled the streets, chanting slogans in honor of the late Leader and reaffirming their commitment to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was martyred in a joint US-Israeli strike on Tehran on February 28, 2026, at the outset of what Iranian officials described as a 40-day war of aggression against the Islamic Republic. His martyrdom sparked an unprecedented outpouring of grief across Iran and beyond, with millions participating in funeral ceremonies and memorial gatherings that underscored his enduring legacy as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and a symbol of resistance against foreign aggression.

With his burial beside the shrine of Imam Reza, supporters say Ayatollah Khamenei's legacy will continue to inspire future generations committed to the principles of independence, resistance, and the Islamic Revolution. (ILKHA)