At the site where Iran’s Khamenei lies, some see a symbol of the slain leader’s failures

• The Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran, unfinished after nearly 40 years, symbolises the unfulfilled promises of Iran’s government during Ayatollah Khamenei’s era.
• The mosque’s incomplete structures, damaged tiles, and poor maintenance contrast with the government’s desire to show strength during Khamenei’s funeral.
• The project, managed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and other agencies, suffered delays and corruption, reflecting broader inefficiency and economic control issues in Iran.

TEHRAN - The masses of mourners who came to bid a final farewell to Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, this past weekend in Tehran did so at a mosque and prayer complex with unfinished minarets, cracked and missing tiles, and a crumbling carpark.

Nearly 40 years after planning and construction for the complex – the Grand Mosalla – began in earnest, it is still incomplete, and has even become shabby, with parts of it in obvious need of repair.