Iran organizes week-long state funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Iran is arranging a week-long funeral for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose death occurred four months ago during the initial phase of the conflict with the United States and Israel. The ceremonies will take place in five cities across Iran and Iraq, with authorities expecting between four and fifteen million participants.

The government has mobilized a wide range of personnel, including civil servants, university staff, labor unions, firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers, to coordinate the events and manage the flow of mourners. Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla will host the first public display of Khamenei’s body, and extensive infrastructure such as over 6,000 water sprinklers, 2,500 ambulances, 21 helicopters and numerous drones has been deployed to ensure crowd safety.

National holidays have been declared, airports will be closed during the funeral period, and traffic in Tehran will be heavily restricted. Authorities plan to bake fifty million pieces of bread and have prepared thousands of parking spaces, classrooms and other venues to accommodate visitors.

The procession will move from Tehran to Qom, then to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before the final burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace. Officials say the itinerary underscores the religious ties between Iran and Shia communities in Iraq and elsewhere.

Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading negotiations with the United States, wrote in a state-media message, "We must raise the cry for the nation’s blood to the world so that the world knows that Iran does not remain silent in the face of oppression… and will not let go of the blood of its Imam."

The funeral is also expected to mark the first public appearance of Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader, who has remained out of sight since the strike that killed his father and other family members. When asked about his participation, the event’s organizer said the decision lies with the leader’s office.

Foreign dignitaries expected to attend include the presidents of Georgia and Pakistan and a Russian security council deputy, while most Western officials have not been invited. Iran’s vice president described the ceremony as one of the most important events of the century, and a Revolutionary Guards commander said it aims to project the Islamic Republic’s power to the international community.