Video Message by Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Director of the Iqbal Forum, Regarding the Funeral Prayer Ceremony for the Martyred Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran Attended by Millions of People

Finally, after four months, today at 8:00 a.m. Tehran time, we offered the funeral prayer over the pure body of the Supreme Leader, His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Islamic Republic of Iran decided to hold the final farewell ceremonies for its martyred leader before his burial on the 4th of July, exactly coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States. This choice carried a clear message for the Americans. Today, during the funeral prayer for the martyred leader, the chants of “Revenge, revenge” and “War, war until victory” reflected the clear message of the great and courageous Iranian nation.

Over the past two days, approximately six million people gathered in Tehran for a final farewell to the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei. Among the eighty-six official delegations from different countries, comprising more than one thousand political, cultural, social, and media elites, Pakistan sent one of the largest and most significant delegations, demonstrating the depth of relations between the two countries. I would once again like to express my gratitude to the people, government, and leadership of Pakistan.

Today, after two days of public viewing, the funeral prayer ceremony was held in Tehran. Tomorrow, the funeral procession will take place in Tehran. The day after tomorrow, Tuesday, his pure body will be transferred to the city of Qom, where another funeral procession will be held.

On Wednesday, his body will be transferred to Iraq, where, after nearly sixty years, the late leader will once again have the opportunity to visit the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

Magnificent funeral processions are expected in the cities of Karbala and Najaf. After the funeral prayer on Thursday, his body will be transferred to the city of Mashhad, where, following the funeral procession and prayer in the holy courtyard of Imam Reza’s shrine, the burial ceremony will take place.

Today I witnessed a very large crowd at the Tehran Mosalla. I estimate that nearly three million people participated in the funeral prayer ceremony. Praise be to God, the event was conducted in the best possible manner without any problems or incidents. In my opinion, this ceremony will be recorded as a historic event in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and perhaps throughout the Islamic world.

According to the information available to me, the Iranian government installed approximately six thousand cooling systems for today’s ceremony. It also deployed two thousand five hundred ambulances and twenty-one helicopters. Various service stations (Mawkibs) were established across Tehran, where more than fifty million meals were distributed among the mourners.

Today’s ceremony represented a school of thought, a great responsibility, and a source of hope for future generations, for the people of Iran, and perhaps for Muslims around the world.

I believe that every leader leaves behind a legacy after passing away. When I look at the life of Ayatollah Khamenei and the manner of his martyrdom, I feel that his legacy was the preservation of national independence, territorial integrity, and strategic self-reliance for the country. The affection of the Iranian people for their leader and the unity we witnessed today herald a greater, stronger, more independent, and more successful Iran.

“I pray to Almighty God to elevate the ranks of that departed leader and to grant his pure soul companionship with the martyrs of early Islam and the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution.”

Thank you for your attention.