A seven-day series of state funeral ceremonies initiated in Iran on Friday to honor the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled for 37 years until his death in a recent air strike. The funeral procession began with Khamenei's body lying in state at a vast hall in Tehran, attended by scholars, officials, foreign dignitaries, and other mourners. The coffin was later moved to Tehran's Grand Mosalla, the great prayer hall built to honor his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Over 100 foreign delegations have arrived from countries around the world for the occasion, including leaders such as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. The funeral rites were delayed due to the subsequent months-long conflict following Khamenei's death in February during the joint US-Israel war on Iran. The coffin was draped in a flag that previously flew over the Shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, symbolizing resistance, sacrifice, and devotion according to official statements. Security measures have been heightened across Tehran, with General Ahmad Vahidi, the newly appointed commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, overseeing arrangements for the event. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have vowed retaliation against the US and Israel for Khamenei's death, promising to avenge his blood. Public viewing is scheduled to begin on Saturday morning, with final burial ceremonies planned for July 9 at the Imam Ali Reza Shrine in Mashhad.