Iran prepares grand funeral for Khamenei, millions expected to attend

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is finalising preparations for the funeral ceremony of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of a joint United States and Israeli attack on Tehran in late February. As disclosed by Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh, who heads the funeral committee for the late leader, in a television broadcast on Monday evening, the funeral ceremony will begin with a procession in the capital Tehran on Saturday (4/7). Hassanzadeh, who is also commander of the Mohammad Rasoulallah Unit in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), described the funeral as a ‘historic event’ that will be attended by millions of mourners. He said the farewell ceremony for the late leader this coming Saturday will start at 6 a.m. at Tehran’s Grand Musalla and will continue until Sunday (5/7) evening. Several other ceremonies will still be held until Monday (6/7), he added. According to Hassanzadeh, preparations for the series of ceremonies are proceeding intensively to accommodate the large number of attendees, with a travel route stretching from east Tehran to west Tehran having been established to ensure the smooth movement of crowds. Posts have also been prepared to accommodate the elderly, the sick, and children, with medical teams on standby to provide services, he said. He conveyed that ceremonies to honour the late leader are also planned to be held in the cities of Qom and Mashhad. The ceremonial procession will conclude on 9 July in Mashhad, where the body of Ali Khamenei will be laid to rest.