The Iranian authorities have announced details about the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s former supreme leader, who was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, state media reported on Tuesday.
Under Islamic tradition, funerals are typically held within days of a person’s death. Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in a strike on his home on Feb. 28 but in early March, the Iranian officials said they had postponed the funeral indefinitely. They cited logistical constraints from dealing with the significant numbers of people who were expected to attend.
On Tuesday, Mohammad Amin Tavakoli-Zadeh, Tehran’s deputy mayor, said the funeral will involve three days of public ceremonies, including processions through Tehran, the capital, and the cities of Qom and Mashhad, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.
The funeral ceremony in Tehran will last at least 24 hours, he added, and the authorities were preparing for up to 20 million people to attend.
IRNA, another state media outlet, reported that the funeral would be held in mid-June but did not specify a time or date.
Ayatollah Khamenei was 86 when he was killed at an office in his home, ending more than three decades as Iran’s supreme leader. His death was met with a mixture of disbelief, celebration and mourning on the streets of Tehran.
His son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was chosen as his successor but has not been seen in public since he assumed the role.
