Mourners in Iran have gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla complex in Tehran, where the coffins of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family are displayed.
Large crowds are expected to attend funeral events at the site this weekend, before Mr Khamenei's coffin is moved to the city of Qom, then Najaf and Karbala in Iraq. It will return to Iran for burial.
Plans for the mosque complex in Tehran first emerged in 1982 and it has been under construction since the 1990s. It was to be built as a new venue for Friday prayers in the capital, replacing the University of Tehran.
It features a central portico spanning 110 metres, as well as a concrete dome and minarets.
Despite remaining unfinished for more than three decades, parts of the complex have been used for prayers, state ceremonies and cultural events.
Week-long funeral
On Saturday, Iran began week-long funeral ceremonies for Mr Khamenei, who was killed when the regional war began on February 28.
Dozens of foreign dignitaries paid their respects, including Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iraqi President Nizar Amedi and Lebanese Defence Minister Michel Menassa. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Russia and China were also represented.
But Mr Khamenei's son Mojtaba, who replaced him as Iran's supreme leader, is not expected to attend the ceremonies. He was reportedly injured in the strike that killed his father and has not been seen in public since.
The walls of the complex are covered with large portraits of the late supreme leader. The main building is host Mr Khamenei’s remains for three days for “pilgrims”, organisers said.
He will be buried on July 9 in Mashhad, north-eastern Iran.
