Iran calls for mass turnout at Khamenei’s funeral
Iran has called on millions of people to attend the funeral of its late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, describing the gathering as a show of national resolve following his death in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the recent conflict.
Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, urged citizens to participate in the funeral ceremonies beginning on Saturday, saying the turnout would send a strong message to the international community.
He said the country should use the occasion to demonstrate unity, adding that the call for vengeance over Khamenei’s death should be heard around the world.
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The funeral, which was postponed during the height of the Middle East conflict, will take place as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after reaching a preliminary agreement to halt the fighting.
Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 at his residence in central Tehran on February 28, the first day of the war.
His body will lie in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla complex, where the public funeral will begin on Saturday. The bodies of several of his slain relatives will also be displayed during the ceremonies.
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Iranian officials expect between 15 and 20 million mourners to attend, which would make it the largest state funeral in the country’s history.
Following the Tehran ceremony, Khamenei’s body will be taken to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before being buried on July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.
Authorities have declared public holidays in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad for the funeral period. Public and private offices in Tehran will remain closed from Saturday to Monday, while traffic restrictions and temporary airspace closures will be enforced.
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Representatives from about 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral, with mourners also travelling from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It remains unclear whether Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, will appear at the main ceremony in Tehran.
