The truck carrying the coffins of the slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family makes its way through mourners during the funeral procession toward Azadi Tower in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo)Iran’s dayslong funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began on Saturday as the administration shut down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran with hundreds of thousands of mourners waiving a red and white flag at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque, where the body of Ali Khamenei is to lie for three days.Red and white flags invoke historic martyrdom and revengeThousands of red and white flags at Khamenei’s funeral procession symbolise “martyrdom” and “revenge” in the Shia Muslim tradition, CNN reported. Mourners attend the start of the dayslong funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo)The flags have the Farsi words “Ya Hussein” written on them, referring to the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed and a respected figure in the Shia community. Hussein died in the Battle of Karbala, which eventually divided the Shia and Sunni Muslims.Also Read | ‘Trump’s murder is our responsibility’: At Khamenei’s funeral, calls for vengeanceReligious symbolism reframed for modern political conflictThe red and white flag is usually acknowledged as a religious invocation for the Shia Muslims across the world, but the Iranian authorities have also inscribed “Ya Hussein” on it in order to portray modern conflicts through the symbolism of Karbala, which symbolises Hussein’s continued stance against injustice, the report added.The final noon adhan in TehranThe call to the noon prayer echoes across Tehran as the funeral procession of the pure bodies of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution and his martyred family members passes through the city.July 6, 2026#WeMustRise#MartyrKhamenei pic.twitter.com/omEextxYsz— Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) July 6, 2026Precedent of the flag at high-profile military funeralsThe flag has been seen draped over Khamenei’s casket as mourners continued to visit Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran. A man holds a sign reading “#kill_trump” as mourners gather for funeral ceremonies for slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran. (Photo: AP)The flag has been displayed at other events in the Islamic Republic such as the killing of top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020.Presence of national and regional militant bannersApart from the red and yellow flag, Iran’s national flag and Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah’s green and yellow flag are also being commonly used by the mourners attending Khamenei’s funeral procession.Story continues below this adAlignment with Muharram mourning and upcoming Iraqi processionNotably, Ali Khamenei’s funeral, who died in a joint US-Israel strike on Iran in February, falls in the Islamic month of Muharram, when Shia Muslims honour Hussein and his martyrdom in the Battle of Karbala, CNN reported.The slain supreme leader’s body will be transported to the Shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq as part of the week long commemoration.The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. 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