Iran Holds Six-Day Funeral for Ayatollah as Thousands Gather in Tehran Following Supreme Leader's Passing

IRAN has begun a six-day funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei four months after he was killed in a US-Israeli strike.

Emotional mourners have flocked to which came to a dramatic end in February.

Millions are expected to attend the funeral Credit: EPA Women pay their respects near the coffins of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family Credit: AP Mourners flocked to the Iranian capital Credit: Getty Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 Credit: AP

Dubbed the “funeral of the century” by , the event kicked off with the national anthem, religious eulogies and readings from the Koran.

Up to 20 million people are expected at the ceremonies.

Patriotic attendees waved Iranian flags while in tears and shouting: “Death to America!”

Sobbing mourners were also heard chanting “Our slogan is one word: Revenge, revenge,” and “We will kill, we will kill he who killed our Imam.”

Mourners shouted: ‘Death to America!’ Credit: AFP Around 20 million people are expected to attend Credit: AP The coffin of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (top) and his family members Credit: EPA Sobbing mourners attending the funeral Credit: AP

It comes as the fragile ceasefire remains in place following an initial peace deal signed between the US and Iran last month.

Television footage showed his coffin draped with the Iranian flag and topped with his black turban.

The crate was placed, along with four other coffins of his , on a large black platform that resembled the Kaaba, the holy cube-shaped structure in Mecca.

Khamenei’s body is expected to be taken to Qom, Najaf and Kerbala, the great Shi’ite centres of Iran and Iraq, before being laid to rest on Thursday in Mashhad.

It has been dubbed the funeral of the century Credit: AFP The ceremonies will last six days Credit: AP

Regional world leaders have flooded in to attend the event.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was among the high-profile guests.

His country acted as the mediator for crucial peace talks between the US and Iran.

Also in attendance for the major gathering were former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and the Afghan ‘s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

They were joined by a host of other global representatives including officials from Iraq, Armenia, and Turkey.

A delegation of Gulf states also touched down, with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman joining the crowds.

acknowledged the week of mourning taking place in Iran on Friday night.

He said Tehran was “dying to settle” as negotiations to end the war once and for all continue.

The US president said: “We gave them [Iran] a week off for a funeral because we’re nice.”

Khamenei was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba, following his death on February 28.

The new maimed leader has not been seen publicly since the blitz – and reports have emerged that he was left severely wounded in the attack that killed his father.