Iran has launched several days of public mourning and funeral processions for its former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in US and Israeli strikes in February.
Khamenei’s body will lie in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla from Friday ahead of his burial in his hometown of Mashhad next Thursday. Officials anticipate up to 20 million mourners from across Iran, according to AFP.
The mourning period comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States following a preliminary agreement to halt their conflict in June.
Khamenei’s body will rest alongside family members who were also killed in the February strikes. An official funeral ceremony will take place in Tehran on Saturday.
Authorities have ordered the closure of public and private offices in Tehran from Saturday through Monday, while traffic restrictions will shut down most of the city center to private vehicles. Airspace over Tehran will be partially closed Friday and fully closed Monday, AFP reported.
Following the Tehran ceremonies, Khamenei’s body will be transported to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before the final burial in Mashhad.
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Iran has launched several days of public mourning and funeral processions for its former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in US and Israeli strikes in February.
Khamenei’s body will lie in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla from Friday ahead of his burial in his hometown of Mashhad next Thursday. Officials anticipate up to 20 million mourners from across Iran, according to AFP.
The mourning period comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States following a preliminary agreement to halt their conflict in June.
Khamenei’s body will rest alongside family members who were also killed in the February strikes. An official funeral ceremony will take place in Tehran on Saturday.
Authorities have ordered the closure of public and private offices in Tehran from Saturday through Monday, while traffic restrictions will shut down most of the city center to private vehicles. Airspace over Tehran will be partially closed Friday and fully closed Monday, AFP reported.
Following the Tehran ceremonies, Khamenei’s body will be transported to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before the final burial in Mashhad.
Representatives from multiple countries, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are expected to attend the ceremonies. Khamenei was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since becoming supreme leader.
