Iran prepares massive funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei amid regional tensions

Iranian leaders on Friday gathered to pay their respects before the coffin of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Tehran prepared for what officials expect to be one of the largest state funerals in the nation’s history.

According to state media, Khamenei’s coffin arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla ahead of a series of mourning ceremonies expected to attract millions of people.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, senior military officials and other government figures were among those who paid their respects during the initial ceremony.

Authorities have transformed parts of the capital to accommodate the expected influx of mourners, with public parks converted into temporary camps and extensive security and logistical arrangements put in place ahead of the funeral procession.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Ghalibaf urged Iranians to participate in large numbers, describing the occasion as a defining moment in the country’s history.

> “The nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world,” he said.

Officials said Khamenei’s body would lie in state at the Grand Mosalla for three days before funeral rites continue in other cities.

Several foreign delegations, including representatives from neighbouring countries and other allies, are expected to attend the official ceremonies.

To facilitate the events, Iranian authorities have declared public holidays in Tehran and other major cities, ordered the temporary closure of government offices and imposed traffic restrictions across the capital. Airspace over Tehran is also expected to face temporary restrictions during the funeral period.

Following ceremonies in Tehran, Khamenei’s remains are scheduled to be taken to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq before final burial rites at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace, according to Iranian officials.

The planned ceremonies come as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire following weeks of heightened regional tensions.