Iran claims 43 million attended Ali Khamenei funeral

Iran claimed 41 million to 43 million people took part in the funeral events for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from July 4 until the final burial in Mashhad. Press TV, cited by Al Jazeera, said the procession was one of the largest in the world. Khamenei's body was first laid in state at the Grand Mosque in Tehran until July 5, then taken to Qom and flown to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before returning to Iran on July 9. He was buried at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. The ceremony was also attended by delegations from Iran's allies, including Hamas, Jihad Islam, Hizbullah and Houthi, as well as representatives from dozens of countries, including senior officials from Arab Saudi, Qatar, Turki, Pakistan, China and Russia.