Iran Marks 40-Day Mourning for Late Leader Amid Fragile Ceasefire

The President's presence at the event was to observe the 40th day since the death of the former Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

In a massive display of national mourning, vast crowds of Iranians took to the streets of the capital and across the nation on Thursday to mark the 40th day following the killing of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, senior military officials, and schoolchildren from Minab, state broadcaster Press TV reported.

The massive mourning processions commenced on Thursday morning, with participants marching from Jomhouri Square to the site where the former Leader died during US-Israeli strikes.

These commemorative events, expected to last until nightfall, involve mourners "chanting slogans, listening to eulogies in memory of the late Leader, and pledging their allegiance to his ideals."

According to Press TV, similar ceremonies are being observed in hundreds of cities and counties throughout Iran.

The significance of the date stems back to 28 February, when the former Leader was killed alongside members of his family during the onset of military action by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.

Those strikes also claimed the lives of several high-ranking military commanders and advisers, including Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour.

Broadening the scope of the casualties from that period, Press TV noted that civilian infrastructure and energy facilities were also hit, resulting in hundreds of fatalities.

One of the most devastating incidents occurred on the first day of the hostilities, when a primary school in Minab was struck, leading to the deaths of more than 170 civilians, the majority of whom were children.

In the wake of these events, the Iranian armed forces initiated a series of retaliatory measures, launching missile and drone barrages against targets in Israeli-occupied territories and American assets within the region.

Following this sustained period of military exchange, the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) confirmed on Wednesday that a Pakistan-brokered, 14-day ceasefire had been established.

State broadcaster Press TV reported that the agreement was reached after the US accepted Tehran's "10-point proposal."

Reflecting on the legacy of the late figurehead amidst this truce, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a statement on Thursday.

The group asserted that the death of the former Ayatollah Khamenei was "as effective as his lifetime presence in the promotion of Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic."

The IRGC statement, carried by Press TV, further highlighted the resilience of the nation and the impact of the military's retaliatory strikes as part of the "blessings of the Leader's pure blood during the imposed war."

The military wing stated that the former Leader's philosophy regarding resistance, independence, and justice continues to provide a "comprehensive system for governing the country."

- ANI