Iran to bury slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as week-long funeral ceremonies draw to a close

Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be laid to rest at the holiest shrine in Mashhad, concluding a week of intense mourning, processions, and rallies. This period has overlapped with heightened tensions with the US, reflecting the nation's deep-seated political and international challenges. Khamenei's successor, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, remains conspicuously absent from public view, which raises questions about the internal dynamics and leadership continuity within Iran's ruling elite. The events underscore the profound impact of Khamenei's passing on both domestic stability and Iran's geopolitical stance.