Footage aired by state broadcaster IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) showed the coffin of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei being brought to the site of his killing in an unannounced ceremony, ahead of six days of funeral events set to begin on Saturday.
The video, shared by IRIB on its official handle and tagged "#Revenge", opened with mourners filming a green-draped shrine wall lined with red tulips before cutting to visuals of Khamenei's flower-covered coffin being carried through a dense, chanting crowd dressed largely in black.
Later frames showed the coffin surrounded by mourners raising their hands as white dove-shaped decorations and additional red tulips framed the scene.
Meanwhile, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has urged citizens to turn out in large numbers for the funeral, saying the gathering should send a message demanding "vengeance for his blood,".
Ghalibaf called on Iranians "to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence," adding that "the nation's call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world." He separately urged "the youth, the families of martyrs, the war wounded, the brave women and men" to attend, saying Iranians "will not forgo avenging the blood of their Leader."
ALSO READ: Khamenei's Funeral: MB Ghalibaf Calls Iranian To Flood, Declare 'Vengeance For His Blood'
Khamenei, 86, was killed in Tehran on 28 February, the opening day of the US-Israel war on Iran. He had led the country since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Iran has stepped up security ahead of the funeral, with Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia telling the IRNA news agency that the military has expanded deployments across the country's land, sea and air borders, and that air defence systems are maintaining continuous surveillance of Iranian airspace.
The funeral will begin at Tehran's Grand Mosalla prayer complex before moving through Qom, Najaf and Karbala, concluding with Khamenei's burial in Mashhad on 9 July.
Authorities expect between 15 million and 20 million mourners, along with delegations from more than 30 countries and religious leaders from around 90 nations, according to the report.
ALSO READ: Khamenei Funeral: PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti To Travel To Iran To Pay Final Tributes
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