Iran Announces Funeral Ceremonies for Late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

: Iran on Saturday, June 13 announced that funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will commence in Tehran on July 4 and culminate in his burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on July 9, according to state media. Details of the funeral arrangements were released by the committee overseeing the ceremonies, outlining a six-day programme across three Iranian cities. A farewell ceremony will be held at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla prayer grounds on July 4 and 5. Public mourning events will continue in the capital on July 6 before moving to the holy city of Qom on July 7. The final stage of the funeral programme is scheduled for July 9 in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine, one of the most revered sites in Shia Islam. Iranian authorities are preparing for what could become one of the largest public gatherings in the country’s history. Officials expect up to 20 million mourners to participate in funeral ceremonies across Tehran, Qom and Mashhad. State media said extensive security and logistical preparations are under way ahead of the funeral ceremonies to accommodate the anticipated crowds. Khamenei was killed on February 28 at the age of 86. Iranian authorities announced his death the following day after US-Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple sites across the country. He had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic who led the 1979 revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. As Supreme Leader, Khamenei exercised ultimate authority over Iran’s political system, armed forces and judiciary while serving as the country’s highest religious authority. During his 37-year tenure, he remained the central figure in shaping Iran’s domestic and foreign policies.