• Iran lays to rest Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad after massive public mourning.
• Funeral processions across Iran and Iraq attracted millions, highlighting the political tensions with the US.
• Mojtaba Khamenei, newly appointed Supreme Leader and son of Ali Khamenei, remains absent from public view.
• Burial ceremony delayed due to overwhelming crowds, amidst continued violence between the US and Iran.

Iran held a grand burial ceremony for its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday in Mashhad, following a week of mass funerals and mourning ceremonies throughout Iran and Iraq. The ceremony attracted enormous crowds, with millions participating to honor Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on February 28. Mourners waved Iranian flags and displayed placards with revolutionary slogans as they chanted for revenge against the US President Donald Trump, highlighting the deep-rooted tensions in the region, according to Channel News Asia, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

The funeral, which included processions through key Shia sites in Iraq, was characterized by Iran's desire to project strength and unity in the face of ongoing hostilities with the US and Israel. Significant participants included Iranian officials and military leaders, with reports suggesting that over 2.3 million individuals attended the funeral in Najaf alone. This display of solidarity underscores the Iranian leadership’s efforts to rally public support after Khamenei's death, according to Middle East Eye and Al Jazeera.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late leader and now Iran's Supreme Leader, has notably remained out of public sight since his father's assassination, reportedly for security reasons after sustaining injuries in the same strike that killed Khamenei. Despite his position, there are concerns that he could face similar threats during public appearances, which has limited his visibility during these critical moments of national mourning, according to BBC and Middle East Eye.

The burial itself, originally planned for early afternoon, experienced delays reportedly due to the overwhelming turnout of mourners. This incident occurred amid a backdrop of renewed US airstrikes, which have further escalated tensions in the region, affecting the transportation routes to the burial site. The Iranian government continues to navigate this complex scenario while maintaining its call for retribution against perceived enemies, highlighting the ongoing volatility in Iranian-American relations, according to Channel News Asia and Middle East Eye.