The funeral comes at a critical moment for Iran, turning the page of nearly four decades of Khamenei's rule and months after the latest round of mass nationwide protests against the Islamic Republic.

July 6 (UPI) -- The funeral procession for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began Monday in Iran drawing hundreds of thousands to the city's streets.

The "supreme leader" of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, was notably absent from funeral events for his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei.