Iran Urges Huge Turnout at Khamenei's Funeral

The funeral of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28, is expected to draw a massive crowd of around 15 to 20 million mourners, according to officials. Khamenei's body will be lying in state at the Grand Mosalla complex in central Tehran, where representatives from around 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral. The ceremony is expected to be one of the biggest state funerals in Iran's history, with the airspace over Tehran partially closed from Friday and fully closed on Monday. Khamenei's body will then be taken to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala before his burial on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in the northeastern city of Mashhad, his birthplace. The funeral is a major gathering, and authorities have ordered public and private offices in Tehran to close from Saturday through Monday. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, has called on all Iranian people to attend the funeral, saying: 'I invite all the Iranian people… to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence' at the funeral ceremonies starting Saturday. Tehran, as well as the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad, which will host later stages of the funeral and burial ceremonies, will observe public holidays while the events are underway. The US and Iran have recently signed a preliminary deal to halt their ongoing conflict, but the fragile ceasefire may be put to the test as the funeral proceedings unfold. Iran's current supreme leader is not expected to attend the funeral, as he has not been seen in public since becoming supreme leader. Khamenei's death is a significant moment for Iran, and his legacy will likely continue to shape the country's politics and society for years to come.

Funeral Arrangements

Khamenei's body will lie in state at the Grand Mosalla complex in central Tehran from Saturday, where mourners will pay their respects and pray for his soul. Representatives from around 30 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, are expected to attend the funeral, with thousands of Iranian pilgrims traveling from different parts of the country to pay their respects. The funeral procession will then move to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala before finally reaching the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried on July 9.