Iranians are preparing for extensive funeral ceremonies to honor Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, beginning Saturday, with authorities anticipating millions of mourners in Tehran alone over the next three days. The events are intended to demonstrate the Islamic Republic's resilience and unity to its adversaries.
The comprehensive six-day commemoration marks the passing of Khamenei, who held the country's highest office from 1989 until his death at age 86. His death occurred on February 28, the first day of a conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel.
Significant attention will be focused on the public appearances, or lack thereof, of Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son and presumed successor. He was officially named Supreme Leader one week after his father's demise but has yet to make a public statement or appearance. Hundreds of supporters had already gathered by Friday evening outside the Grand Mosalla religious complex, awaiting the opening of the tributes on Saturday morning.
The funeral proceedings are extensive, with the coffin scheduled to lie in state until Monday. A procession will traverse Tehran, followed by a move to the clerical center of Qom on Tuesday. The ceremonies will continue to cities significant to Shia Muslims in neighboring Iraq on Wednesday, culminating in burial on Thursday in Mashhad, Khamenei's hometown in northeastern Iran.
Senior Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and newly appointed Revolutionary Guards chief Ahmad Vahidi, have publicly displayed grief. The planned burial will also include other relatives killed in the initial strikes, such as Khamenei's infant granddaughter. International dignitaries, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, attended Friday's paying of respects. Representatives from Palestinian militant group Hamas, Lebanese group Hezbollah, and the Afghan Taliban government were also present.
Despite a current lull in hostilities following an initial accord between Iran and the US, Iranian officials have issued strong statements, vowing retribution. Ghalibaf urged mass participation in the ceremonies, stating, "The nation's call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world." Army chief Amir Hatami declared that Israel and the US "will pay for the blood of the martyred leader and all the nation's martyrs." Authorities have implemented considerable security measures, including road closures and airspace restrictions, to manage the anticipated large crowds and mitigate the risk of stampedes, an issue that has marred similar events previously. Measures such as spraying water on roads are being employed to combat expected high temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius.
