Iran prepares to bury slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with week of mass mourning
Iran's supreme leader was killed by US and Israeli strikes in their first attack of the war and the funeral events will begin over the weekend in Tehran, with mass processions planned next week
Assessment
The Islamic Republic faces an unprecedented leadership vacuum after the death of its long serving supreme leader in a direct US Israeli military strike. State orchestrated mourning rituals will test public sentiment, as the regime navigates both grief and potential internal succession struggles. Observers should watch for indications of how authority transfers and whether the security apparatus maintains control during this destabilizing period.