Mourners chant 'death' to America and Israel at Khamenei funeral; Trump says 'gave them a week off'

Xtreme News India   06-07-2026 19:31:05   23296702

Mourners chant 'death' to America and Israel at Khamenei funeral; Trump says 'gave them a week off'

Tehran (Warta) - Mourners beat their chests and chanted “Revenge, revenge,” and many called for “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” as massive crowds gathered in Tehran for the days-long funeral that began on Saturday for the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, months after an airstrike killed him at the start of the war. “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” chants have been common in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

As Iran prepares for what authorities say could be one of the largest funerals in its history, not everyone plans to join the crowds. While millions are expected to gather in Tehran on Saturday to bid farewell to late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, many Iranians say they will stay away, citing fears over safety, overcrowding and growing frustration over the country’s economic hardships.Khamenei, regarded as a spiritual leader by many Shia Muslims, was killed in late February at the age of 86 in US-Israeli strikes that marked the beginning of the West Asia war. His body arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla on Friday ahead of the multi-day funeral ceremonies, which come amid a fragile US-Iran ceasefire and just six months after widespread anti-government protests shook the country.

Despite official expectations of a massive turnout, several residents told AFP they were choosing to avoid the event. In Tehran, roads leading out of the capital were reportedly congested, while many shops remained closed and the city appeared quieter than usual, suggesting that a significant number of residents had left rather than participate. “The government says it has arranged food, drinks, accommodation and other services for 15 million attendees. My question is: where is this money coming from?” he asked. “In recent days, the prices of bread and other essential food items have reportedly increased sharply. Ordinary people are ultimately paying for all of this.”

Thirty-eight-year-old visual artist Kaveh argued that the scale of the funeral contrasted sharply with the government’s response during previous national emergencies.

“None of these facilities—temporary shelters, portable toilets, emergency internet, logistics or food supplies—were properly available during earthquakes or floods,” he said. “Yet now, in a struggling post-war economy, enormous resources are being spent on a grand ceremony. It feels like propaganda rather than something that benefits ordinary people.”

Elnaz, a 32-year-old painter from Tehran, said the funeral reflected the deep divide she believes exists within Iranian society.

“For people like us, who live ordinary lives, are not religious and have no connection to the government, whether Khamenei was alive or not did not change our daily lives,” she said. “For years, it has felt as though ordinary people and government supporters have been living in two completely different worlds. This ceremony is no different from other state events that attract only a minority of society.”

While authorities continue preparations for the high-profile funeral, the contrasting voices highlight the divisions that remain within Iran. For many supporters, the ceremony is expected to be a historic farewell to the country’s longest-serving leader. For others, it is an event they would rather avoid—out of fear, frustration or simply because they no longer feel represented by the state.