Tehran: A Russian Orthodox priest attending the farewell ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, says his assassination had strengthened Iran rather than weakened it. Father Grigory Matrusov, a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church's Department for External Church Relations, made the remarks on Sunday in an interview with IRNA while attending the memorial services in Tehran.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Father Matrusov described Ayatollah Khamenei's life as one devoted to God and to serving the Iranian people. He said that Ayatollah Khamenei dedicated his entire life to God and then to the service of the Iranian people, adding that Ayatollah Khamenei remained committed to that path until sacrificing his own life; his entire life was one of devotion and self-sacrifice for God and the people.

Commenting on the assassination, Matrusov expressed his belief that the United States and Israel had targeted the Iranian Leader because they assumed his death would weaken the country. They believed that by eliminating Iran's leader they could have prevailed over Iran, but that was a mistake, he said, adding that the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei has made Iran stronger, and he believes the country will emerge even stronger than before.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several of his family members were martyred in an airstrike on his office and residence in Tehran on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Memorial services were held for them in Tehran on Friday, attended by senior officials from dozens of countries.

A farewell ceremony for the martyred Leader began on Saturday morning at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla and will continue until the evening of Sunday, July 5. The following day, the capital, Tehran, will host the funeral procession for the martyred Leader and his family members.

A funeral procession will also be held for them in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday, July 7. Special farewell and funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader will also be held on Wednesday, July 8, in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in neighboring Iraq, before he is laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH) in the holy city of Mashhad, northeast Iran, on Thursday, July 9.