Iranians mourn late Ayatollah Khamenei, whose nuclear quest brought war, during dayslong funeral

Iranians poured into the streets of Tehran on Saturday to mourn the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who died in a US-Israeli strike in February — as America celebrated its 250th birthday half a world away.The crowds are projected to be the largest since Iranians took to the streets in December and January to protest living conditions in the country.Iranian authorities were expecting as many as 10 million to 15 million to take part in the multi-day memorial ceremonies honoring Khamenei.Officials who were “afraid and weak” delayed services for months due to security concerns, experts said.The ceremonies coincide with July 4th celebrations in the US — amid the fragile peace talks over a deal to end the 109-day Iran war.President Donald Trump said the US gave Iran “the week” off as it commenced the mourning period for Khamenei.“We knocked the hell out of Iran and they’re dying to settle,” Trump said during a speech at Mount Rushmore Friday night.“We gave them a week off for a funeral, isn’t that nice.”State funeral services were set to begin in the prayer hall of Imam Khomenei — the founder of the Islamic Republic in 1979 — before a funeral procession will leave on July 6.

Dozens died in stampedes at Khomenei’s 1989 funeral, where as many as 10 million people gathered.Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.He helped form the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, which hold enormous sway in Iran and are credited with orchestrating attacks on its neighbors and funding terror proxy groups abroad.A state newspaper carried threats against the US in his name as recently as Monday.Another service is set for July 7 in the holy city of ⁠Qom, south of Tehran, with a burial set for July 9 in Khamenei’s hometown, the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.Khamenei will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza, a holy place for Shiite Muslims.Huge banners of Khamenei could be seen in the days leading up to the funera...