Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic from 1989 until his death at the age of 86, was killed in an airstrike on February 28 during the opening day of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. His funeral has become one of the largest state ceremonies in the country’s recent history.

Prayers at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla complex were led by Grand Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani, the 97-year-old Shiite cleric and religious scholar based in the holy city of Qom. The ceremony formed the centerpiece of the second day of national mourning after Khamenei’s body lay in state at the vast religious complex.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son and designated successor, did not appear publicly during the prayers. According to reports, he has not been seen in public since being named supreme leader and is believed to have been injured in the February 28 strike. Khamenei’s other sons—Masoud, Mostafa and Meysam—attended the ceremony.

Iran declared Sunday a public holiday to enable nationwide participation in the funeral events. Authorities said Khamenei’s coffin would later be transferred from the Grand Mosalla in preparation for a public procession through Tehran on Monday.

AFP journalists reported that the religious complex and surrounding streets were filled with mourners carrying Iranian flags and portraits of the late leader. With temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, volunteers distributed refreshments to people making their way to the venue.

President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the prayers alongside senior officials, including Parliament Speaker and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to state television.

Khamenei’s coffin, draped in the Iranian national flag and topped with his traditional black turban, was placed beside the coffins of four family members who were also killed in the February airstrikes, including an infant granddaughter.

Iranian authorities have said they expect more than 10 million people to participate in the funeral ceremonies taking place in Tehran over several days.

The funeral comes after a five-week conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States that has since paused under a ceasefire and an initial agreement with Washington, although both Tehran and Washington have indicated they remain prepared for renewed hostilities if negotiations fail.

Speaking on Saturday, Pezeshkian described the public turnout as evidence of Khamenei’s standing among Iranians and accused Israel of acting as a destabilizing force in the Middle East. He also said Muslims would not submit to oppression.

Khamenei’s decades-long leadership was defined by confrontation with Western powers and sustained support for regional armed groups aligned with Tehran, including Hamas in the Palestinian territories and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

State media reported that delegations from Hamas and Hezbollah met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday. Representatives of Yemen’s Houthi movement and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad also attended the funeral ceremonies.

Following Monday’s procession in Tehran, Khamenei’s coffin is scheduled to travel to Qom on Tuesday, then to neighboring Iraq on Wednesday, before burial on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran.

Authorities have deployed extensive security measures throughout the capital and warned mourners of the risks posed by large crowds. Organizers have also introduced heat-mitigation measures, including water misting systems, as temperatures in Tehran are forecast to approach 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days.