New Delhi: Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, the 14-month-old youngest granddaughter of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is set to be laid to rest alongside the former leader as Iran begins six days of state funeral ceremonies on Friday. Zahra was among several members of Khamenei’s family killed in the US-Israeli strikes that targeted Iran on February 28, an attack that triggered a wider regional conflict.
A video showing the arrival of Zahra’s body at Tehran’s Grand Imam Khomeini Mosalla is being widely circulated on social media. The footage was posted by Lebanon-based broadcaster Al Mayadeen, which reported that the toddler was killed alongside Khamenei and several of his family members on the first day of the war.
As reported by RNA, the funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will take place from July 4 to July 9, beginning in Tehran before concluding with his burial in the north-eastern holy city of Mashhad. The programme will also include religious observances in the holy city of Qom.
The funeral comes at a time when Iran remains on high alert despite a recent peace agreement with the United States. While Tehran and Washington signed a deal last month, intermittent military exchanges continued in the weeks that followed, leaving the ceasefire under strain. Iranian authorities are expecting millions of mourners to attend the funeral processions, with security significantly tightened across the country.
Khamenei, who led Iran for 36 years, was killed on February 28 after coordinated strikes against Iran by the US and Israel. Iranian state media later reported that one of his daughters, a granddaughter, a daughter-in-law and a son-in-law were also killed in the attack.
As reported by RNA Media, Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, will not attend the public funeral ceremonies due to security concerns. His representative in India reportedly said Israeli threats and surveillance risks make his public appearance unsafe.