Calls for revenge as top officials appear at Khamenei's funeral

Crowds chanted ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ as they called for revenge over the 28 February attack

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Iran’s top officials and brothers of the new supreme leader emerged into public view Sunday to attend funeral prayers for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Their appearance signalled confidence in their safety as Iran pushes back on US demands in negotiations to permanently end the war.

Crowds of hundreds of thousands chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, as they called for revenge over the 28 February attack that killed the 86-year-old supreme leader and other top officials, triggering the war. Some hard-liners called for the assassination of US president Donald Trump.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to make an appearance in the funeral ceremonies, which are unfolding over several days. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.

At the height of the war, before an April ceasefire, Israel had targeted top leaders, in at least one case likely using their public appearance to fix their position. It has also threatened to kill the younger Khamenei.

The US is meanwhile pressing ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and rolling back its disputed nuclear programme.

Ziba Naderi, a 42-year-old nurse attending the funeral Sunday, said Iran needed to heed Mojtaba Khamenei’s commands. “I heard the call for revenge, but our leader should say what we need to do,” she said, “And we must listen to him.”