Funeral ceremonies are underway in Tehran for Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family. The first day of the ceremony on Friday began with multiple coffins displayed during the state funeral events. Among them, a tiny casket belonging to a 14-month-old child stood out as a deeply emotional moment, drawing attention as the pictures surfaced online.

14-Month-Old Granddaughter’s Coffin Displayed

According to RT report, a small coffin belonging to Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, granddaughter of Khamenei, was placed alongside larger coffins during a funeral ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran. She was reportedly killed along with Khamenei and other family members during US-Israeli strikes on February 28.

Her coffin was draped with an Iranian flag and carried a religious inscription that read “peace be upon Ruqqayah.” The image has been described as the most poignant symbol of the devastating human toll of the West Asia war. Earlier, during Islamabad talks in April, the Iranian delegation had sent a symbolic message about the damage caused by the war by travelling in an aircraft named “Minab-168.”

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The aircraft carried Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, along with blood-soaked school bags, shoes, white flowers, and pictures of Minab school victims. They were placed in the front row of the flight. The gesture honoured children and staff who lost their lives in the February 28 strike on an elementary school in Minab.

Khamenei's Funeral Ceremony

Meanwhile, millions of people are expected to attend the funeral ceremony of Khamenei taking place between July 3 and 9 in Tehran. Delegations from countries including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and others have arrived to attend the ceremonies. Iran's top leaders, including Iranian military commander Mohsen Rezaee, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Chief Justice of Iran Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also paid their respects to the slain leader.

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