Iran has announced a five day programme of funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, culminating in his burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will begin in Tehran on July 4 and continue over several days before concluding with his burial in the northeastern city of Mashhad, according to Iranian media reports.
A statement issued by the headquarters responsible for organising Khamenei’s commemoration said farewell ceremonies will be held at Imam Khomeini’s Mosalla prayer hall in Tehran on July 4 and 5.
The programme will then move to funeral processions in the Iranian capital and the central city of Qom on July 6 and 7.
According to the statement, the final stage of the funeral arrangements will take place in Mashhad on July 9. Khamenei will be laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Shiite Muslims, on the same day.
The announcement marks the latest development following the death of Khamenei, who, according to Iranian and international media reports, was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28.
Khamenei served as Iran’s Supreme Leader for more than three decades and was one of the most influential figures in the country’s modern history. His death triggered a major political transition in Iran and heightened tensions across the Middle East.
According to reports, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was selected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader in early March.
The reported strike that killed the senior cleric was described by observers as a watershed moment for Iran’s political system, ending more than 36 years of Khamenei’s leadership and prompting a period of regional instability.
US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s death shortly after the operation, stating that the Iranian leader had been targeted through intelligence gathering and tracking operations conducted in coordination with Israel.
Iranian media have also reported that four members of Khamenei’s family, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were killed in the strikes. The reports, carried by Iran’s Fars News Agency, cited unnamed sources.
Authorities have not yet released details regarding security arrangements for the funeral ceremonies, though large turnouts are expected in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad during the five day commemoration period.
