Iran Postpones Khamenei’s State Funeral Over Expected Massive Turnout

Iran has postponed the state funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening in Tehran, citing expectations of an unprecedented public turnout.

State television announced that the farewell ceremony for the late leader had been delayed, adding that a new date would be communicated later.

“The farewell ceremony for the martyred Imam has been postponed. The new date will be announced later,” Iranian television reported on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, authorities had indicated that a tribute would be held in Tehran before Khamenei’s body would be transported for burial in the holy city of Mashhad, his birthplace.

Khamenei, who died at 86, was reportedly killed in joint US-Israeli strikes over the weekend. Since Saturday, Tehran has come under repeated missile attacks targeting military and government infrastructure.

Officials did not directly link the postponement of the funeral to the ongoing security situation.

Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran’s Islamic Development Coordination Council — the body organising the ceremony — said the decision was partly due to the anticipated participation of millions of mourners and the need to ensure adequate infrastructure and arrangements for such a large crowd.