Braving sweltering heat and calling for revenge, Iranians massed on Thursday for the burial of assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad.
An Israeli strike assassinated Khamenei in late February on the first day of the Middle East war.
Thousands of people filled the streets of the eastern city of Mashhad, home to one of the holiest sites of Shia Islam.
With new hostilities breaking out with the United States even after an accord last month to end the war, at least one fighter jet escorted the plane carrying the late Iranian leader’s coffin to Mashhad.
The burial will be the final act in a marathon six days of funeral ceremonies, which have allowed people to pay tribute in Tehran, the clerical hub of Qom and also in Iraq.
Men wore black shirts while women were clad in black chadors, many waving the red flags that symbolise vengeance, AFP correspondents said.
“People here all seek revenge,” said Mohammad Afsharian, 41, a shop owner.
“I don’t know what’s the story with diplomacy and what’s the policy to continue diplomacy but all the people are carrying red flags in a sign of seeking revenge,” he said.
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