Iran's President Joins Public Rally Marking 40 Days Since Khamenei’s Death | Watch

Last Updated:April 09, 2026, 23:51 IST

Iran mourns 40 days since Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in US Israeli strikes. President Pezeshkian leads ceremony in Tehran.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian joined tens of thousands of citizens in Tehran mourning for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Large-scale ceremonies were held commemorating the 40th day since the death of former Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

The event, held in Tehran’s Republic (Jomhouri) Square, marked a key moment in the country’s political and social landscape following the recent change in leadership.

Several video showed vast crowds flooding the streets of Tehran and other cities across Iran to observe the traditional 40th-day memorial, a significant milestone in Shia mourning rituals. The ceremonies also honoured senior military officials and schoolchildren from Minab who were killed in the same wave of attacks that claimed the former Leader’s life.

The main procession in Tehran began on Thursday morning, with mourners marching from Jomhouri Square towards the site where Ayatollah Khamenei was killed during US-Israeli strikes. Participants chanted slogans, listened to eulogies in memory of the late Leader, and renewed their allegiance to his ideals. The commemorations were expected to continue until nightfall.

Similar gatherings were held in hundreds of cities and counties across the country, underscoring the national scale of the mourning.

The significance of the ceremony traces back to 28 February, when Ayatollah Khamenei was killed along with members of his family at the onset of military action by the United States and Israel against Iran. The strikes also killed several high-ranking military commanders and advisers, including Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour.

Beyond the loss of senior figures, the attacks heavily damaged civilian infrastructure and energy facilities, resulting in hundreds of deaths. One of the most devastating incidents occurred on the first day of hostilities, when a primary school in the southern city of Minab was struck, killing more than 170 civilians, most of them children.

In response to the strikes, the Iranian armed forces launched a series of retaliatory operations, firing missiles and drones at targets in Israeli-occupied territories and against American assets in the region. The exchanges continued for weeks before a temporary halt in hostilities was announced.

News world Iran's President Joins Public Rally Marking 40 Days Since Khamenei’s Death | Watch

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