Iran Plans ‘Grand’ Funeral for Slain Supreme Leader Khamenei

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Tehran: Iran plans to hold a ‘grand’ national funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, state television reported on Friday, nearly three months after his death in the initial wave of US-Israeli bombings that triggered the region to the war. The ceremony, which had been planned for shortly after his death, was frequently postponed due to the fighting and increased security concerns.

According to state television, a special headquarters has been established to manage the burial, with numerous government bodies involved in the preparation process. Mohsen Mahmoudi, the head of Tehran's Coordination Council for Islamic Propaganda, said authorities were preparing for a large-scale national ceremony with ‘widespread attendance.’

Khamenei, the second supreme leader of Iran following the 1979 revolution and the ruler of the Islamic Republic for over thirty years, was assassinated on February 28 during the first phase of joint US-Israeli attacks. His death was later verified by Iranian state media, and declared a national mourning period for 40 days.

Mojtaba Khamenei, his son and successor, has hardly been seen in public since taking office and is said to have been injured in the same attacks. The delayed funeral, according to analysts, is a reflection of Iran's high-security conditions as well as its symbolic importance to the nation's leadership.

Although a ceasefire between Iran and its adversaries has been in place since April, efforts to formally end the conflict have yet to be finalised. Iranian officials expect millions of mourners will attend once the funeral date is officially confirmed, making it one of the largest state funerals in the country's modern history.