Iran is observing the 40th day since the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday, with large crowds expected to take to the streets. Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike in Tehran on February 28, which marked the beginning of a coordinated military campaign against Iran.

In Iranian tradition, the 40th day after a person’s death, known as Chehlum or Chollisha, holds deep religious significance. Following Khamenei’s death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of Supreme Leader, though he has yet to appear publicly. The day of commemoration coincides with the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

The overlap of the mourning observance and the truce announcement underscores a moment of both reflection and uncertainty in Iran’s political and military landscape.