Iran mourners scream for 'revenge' as thousands attend funeral of ayatollah killed in airstrike

Iran mourners scream for 'revenge' as thousands attend funeral of ayatollah killed in airstrike The funeral for the late Ayatollah was held on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence - a clear move to upset President Donald Trump Hundreds of thousands of mourners in Iran have screamed for "revenge" at the funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed in an airstrike. The funeral for the 86-year-old was held earlier today, which also happens to be the day Americans are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. While authorities did not acknowledge the timing, crowds at the ceremony in Tehran chanted: "Death to America!" Khamenei ruled Iran for decades and was killed in an airstrike back in February during the opening phase of the war. The funeral may prove to be a boost for the theocratic nation and its new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late leader. The funeral was held amid negotiations between Washington DC and Tehran as concerns remain that Israel could launch another attack, scuppering the talks. Mourners wept at the sight of Khamenei's coffin alongside those of his family members also killed in the airstrike, with some chanting: "Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!" Some carried banners and flags, while billboards across the city bore Khamenei's image. Crowds of men rhythmically beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite funerals. "Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything," mourner Masoumeh Mohammadi said. "I still can't believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death." An outdoor stage that were erected at the Grand Mossala resembled the stage where Khamenei once gave speeches at a husseiniyah at his compound in downtown Tehran. A chair like the one he once sat in while giving his sermons, complete with a microphone on a stand and a small table next to it. Khomeini's funeral saw chaotic scenes as millions thronged his mourning ceremony and trip to the cemetery. Khamenei's death, only the second time Iran has lost a supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, came months earlier and gave authorities more time to prepare. The caskets of his dead family members sat beneath Khamenei's, which had his black turban atop it, identifying him as a direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad. The dead included the wife of Mojtaba Khamenei, whose possible appearance at the funeral remained unclear. He reportedly was wounded in the attack that killed his father. "We attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion," said Ali Kazemi, who came from the north-western city of Tabriz some 330 miles away from Tehran. The American president was not forgotten in Tehran. In the crowd in Grand Mosalla, several mourners held a large flag that read: "#KillTrump." As the ceremony went on, Iran's chief negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi criticized a joint statement overnight from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, which suggested their militaries stood ready to patrol the Strait of Hormuz.