Farewell to Ali Hamaney in Tehran with millions of participants and expectations for 'Mojtaba'

In the capital of Iran, Tehran, official and public funeral ceremonies for President Ali Hamaney began on Saturday morning. The ceremonies, which started following Hamaney's death in a joint military operation by Israel and the US in previous months, witnessed the largest attendance in Iranian history. The first phase of the events, which started early in the morning with an official television broadcast and will last for six days, was held at the great mosque in Tehran. Government officials announced that they expected the participation of 15 to 20 million people in Tehran alone for Hamaney, whose coffin was displayed with a black shroud. The funeral ceremony is not planned to be limited to Tehran; it will stop at holy cities in Iraq and then he will be buried in the city of Mashhad, his birthplace.

This funeral ceremony coincides with an extremely sensitive and historic time for Iranian leadership, aiming to demonstrate the continuity of the administration. The country bears the traces of the 12-day war with Israel in 2025, the popular protests in early 2026, and the recent war which has been halted by a ceasefire agreement. In this difficult process, the Iranian administration is trying to prove to the world the unity of the system and its grassroots support. Tehran, which hosts the ceremony, has been turned into a virtual fortress with necessary security measures, while the intense participation of civilian and military officials also attracted attention. The six-day funeral ceremony acts as a transitional task officially ending Hamaney's 40-year leadership period and starting a new era.

Foreign officials and regional actors were also among the participants in the ceremony, bringing international attention. Figures such as Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who assumed a mediation role between Washington and Tehran, and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev were in Tehran. In addition, delegations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Oman, as well as representatives of resistance movements like Hamas and Hezbollah, were present at the funeral. The funeral ceremony was also attended by four family members and the grandson's wife who lost their lives alongside Hamaney. This intense participation was significant in terms of showcasing Iran's decreasing isolation in foreign policy and its regional influence. In this environment where diplomatic discussions were held, views were also exchanged on the future of the agreement that ended the recent war.

One of the most important items on the agenda of the ceremonies was whether the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Hamaney would appear before the public for the first time. Mojtaba Hamaney, who was selected as the new leader by the Assembly of Experts in March following his father's death, has remained away from the eyes since he was wounded in the war, addressing the public only with written statements. Whether the new leader, who is at the focus of speculation about his health and political future, would take part in this ceremony was a matter of curiosity for the future of the regime. Security circles were closely monitoring whether Mojtaba would appear at the funeral ceremony and, if so, what message this appearance would convey. The emergence of the new leader is considered the first sign of the stance the regime will display against internal and external fronts.

These ceremonies have turned into a geopolitical arena where Iran is restructuring its regional influence, beyond just bidding farewell to a leader. Iran's decision to carry the funeral procession to holy cities like Najaf and Karbala in Iraq clearly emphasizes the continuation of inter-country ideological ties and influence. The level of representation from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan may be a harbinger of diplomatic steps to be taken to make the ceasefire agreement reached with the US permanent. The fact that other family members who will be buried alongside Hamaney also have a role in this process indicates the continuation of family autonomy. All these developments leave Iran alone with the obligation to heal its war and protest wounds at home and strengthen its alliances abroad. Immediately following the ceremonies, discussions regarding the competence of the new leader in Iranian politics are expected to accelerate.