Iranian Woman Blasts ‘Bloodthirsty Enemy’ Trump on CNN as Ayatollah Khamenei Funeral Kicks Off
Public funeral proceedings for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began Saturday in Tehran, the start of an historic six-day event expected to draw millions of people and flow through five cities before all is said and done.
Khamenei, 86, was killed in an airstrike on his home on Feb. 28 as the United States and Israel launched “Operation Epic Fury” on Iran. The conflict raged for four months before the U.S. and Iran entered an uneasy ceasefire two weeks ago.
The dictator ruled Iran from 1989 until his death. Weeks before the joint U.S.-Israeli operation, the country was rocked by protests, during which demonstrators chanted for Khamenei’s death. The regime is believed to have killed tens of thousands of its own citizens during the outcry.
Crowds of mourners turned out in Tehran to pay tribute to Khamenei, whose flag-draped casket was displayed in a glass case alongside those of several family members.
One Iranian told CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen:
WOMAN, VIA TRANSLATOR: We don’t trust the U.S. for any type of negotiations, this woman says. Trump is the most bloodthirsty enemy in all the world, and she says it is our message from here to all the world that all people should stand up, everyone should rise and give the slogan, ‘Death to the oppressors, death to America.’
A handful of world leaders, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, were expected to attend, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Senior Chinese lawmaker He Wei, vice chairman of China’s top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, will also attend the funeral, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev attended Friday as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, as Khamenei’s body laid in state, according to Iran International.
Saturday’s events were just the start of the extended farewell to Khamenei, according to The New York Times.
The funeral was expected to include a procession of the body through the capital of Tehran on Monday; with another ceremony in Qom before the body is brought to Iraq, where events were slated for the cities of Karbala and Najaf, The Times reported.
The procession is expected to conclude July 9 in Khamenei’s hometown of Masshad, where he is to be buried, Iran International reported.
Khamenei was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba, who reportedly suffered seriously leg and disfiguring facial injuries in the airstrike which killed his father, according to reports.
Watch above via CNN.
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