Thousands of Iranians paid tribute on Thursday, April 9th to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for nearly four decades until his death in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the beginning of the latest Middle East war.
Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has succeeded him, but he has not been seen in public since before the war, and it appears unlikely that he will be present at Thursday’s ceremonies held across Iran.
Images broadcast on state television showed thousands of people taking part in rallies, many holding portraits of the late leader, in cities including Urmia in the northwest, Gorgan in the northeast, and the capital, Tehran.
Owing to the war, a state funeral has yet to take place for the late leader.
