The farewell ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which was set to take place at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, was postponed due to the need to “prepare appropriate facilities” for the anticipated mass turnout.
The precise date and time of the farewell ceremony will be announced shortly, according to Iranian state media.
According to the political desk of Tasnim News Agency, the farewell will continue for three days at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall.
Hojjatoleslam Seyed Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Tehran Province Islamic Propagation Coordination Council, stated: “It was planned for the Tehran Mosalla [prayer hall] to host our dear people starting tonight for a farewell ceremony to the body of our martyred marja and great Imam. However, due to numerous requests from across the country and widespread public demand for a large-scale presence at this ceremony, as well as the need to prepare the necessary infrastructure, the event has been postponed.”
He added: “Given the high volume of requests to attend and the need to arrange appropriate facilities to host the people, it was decided that the ceremony will be held at a more suitable time."
Iran puts off Khamenei farewell amid mourning period
“As soon as conditions are ready for the official farewell ceremony, the Islamic Propagation Coordination Council will issue a public announcement, and the honor of hosting the dear people at the farewell ceremony for the pure body of the martyred Imam and Leader will be made possible,” Mahmoudi concluded.
His body will lie in state of honor and will be open to visitors wishing to pay respects.
Iran’s Cabinet of Ministers have also declared 40 days of national mourning following Khamenei’s death.
There are conflicting reports about where his burial and funeral will take place, although most reports claim it will be at Mashhad’s Imam Reza shrine.
State funerals in the Islamic Republic of Iran are typically highly choreographed, multi-day events that combine religious rites with political messaging. This time, as is custom, the affair is organized by the Islamic Propagation Coordination Council.
Senior clerics, commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, members of parliament, and foreign dignitaries generally attend; however, this year’s focus will be more on who does not attend – and whether they may have died in the US-Israeli strikes.
The burial location also carries religious and symbolic weight. Mashhad, home to the Imam Reza shrine, is one of the holiest sites in Shi’ite Islam and also of personal significance for Khamenei, who was born in the city.
The 40-day mourning period follows Shi’ite tradition, marking an important milestone of remembrance. During this time, additional memorial ceremonies are expected across the country.