Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator, has requested that citizens gather in record numbers for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He described the event as a way to honor the leader and demonstrate national resolve following his death during a strike by the U.S. and Israel at the onset of the war.
Khamenei was killed on February 28 at age 86. After delays caused by the ongoing regional conflict, his funeral is scheduled to begin this Saturday at the Grand Mosalla complex in Tehran. Officials anticipate a massive turnout of up to 20 million people, potentially setting a record for the largest state funeral in Iranian history.
In preparation, authorities have declared public holidays in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad. Government and private offices in the capital will remain closed from Saturday through Monday, accompanied by significant traffic restrictions and partial airspace closures. Following the Tehran services, the body will travel to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala before an eventual burial in Mashhad on July 9. It remains unclear whether his son and successor, Mojtaba, will appear in public for the rites. Officials expect delegates from roughly 30 nations to join the mourners.
