TEHRAN (The Thursday Times) — Iranian authorities are preparing three days of farewell ceremonies and a 24-hour funeral procession for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state-linked media and Tehran municipal officials.
Tasnim News Agency reported on Tuesday that Tehran officials had announced plans for three days of farewell ceremonies and a day-long funeral procession for Khamenei, whom Iranian media said was killed on February 28 on the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, Tehran’s deputy mayor for cultural and social affairs, said preparations for the farewell, funeral and burial ceremonies were being finalised with the participation of national institutions, according to WANA. The ceremonies are expected to be held in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad, with authorities still assessing routes, infrastructure and operational requirements for what is being described as an unprecedented national event.
WANA reported that funeral prayers would be held after the public farewell ceremonies, followed by an official procession in Tehran expected to last at least 24 hours. The ceremonies would then continue in Qom and Mashhad, two of Iran’s most important religious centres.
Tavakolizadeh said burial was expected near the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, in line with Khamenei’s wishes and recommendations from those close to him.
The final timetable has not yet been officially confirmed. WANA said the ceremonies are likely to take place in the third week of June, corresponding to the final days of Dhu al-Hijjah and the beginning of Muharram in the Islamic calendar.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is expected to oversee overall command and coordination, while Tehran municipal authorities and other state institutions will assist with logistics and public services.
The planned funeral follows earlier delays. Iranian state television reported in March that the farewell ceremony had been postponed and that a new date would be announced later, after earlier plans for a Tehran tribute and burial in Mashhad were delayed amid the conflict.
Mehr News Agency reported in March that Iran’s Cabinet had declared 40 days of national mourning after the government confirmed Khamenei’s death in what it described as US-Israeli attacks. Press TV also reported at the time that a major public farewell ceremony was being arranged for the late leader.
The funeral arrangements are likely to carry major political, religious and security significance for Iran. Khamenei led the Islamic Republic for decades and remained central to Iran’s state structure, foreign policy and ideological identity.
His burial in Mashhad, if confirmed, would place the ceremony at one of Shiite Islam’s most important religious sites. Iranian officials have not yet released the full route, exact dates or security plan for the ceremonies.
