‘Unprecedented Turnout Of Mourners’: Iran Postpones Khamenei Funeral, New Dates To Be Announced Soon

Iran War Updates: Iran has delayed the state farewell ceremony for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday in US-Israeli air strikes at the age of 86.

France 24 state television stated anticipation of an unprecedented turnout of mourners as the reason for the postponement.

Earlier, the authorities had scheduled his farewell ceremony for 10 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla (prayer hall) on Wednesday, however, they said that more people are expected to join the homage than previously estimated.

This can overwhelm the current arrangements, officials said, adding that new infrastructure is needed to be put in place. 

A revised schedule is set to be released later, reports added.

Iran’s state broadcaster, as cited by Clash Report, pointed out that the delay was due to anticipation of a large gathering of Ayatollah supporters at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, senior Iranian official Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, who leads the Islamic Propagation Council, told state media that a three-day farewell ceremony for Khamenei would be held at the Imam Khomeini prayer ground.

Reports suggest that Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral is expected to draw enormous crowds, echoing the 10 million people who attended Ayatollah Khomeini’s funeral in 1989.

Ayatollah Khamenei Died In Israel’s Jet Strikes 

Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader and highest political functionary, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint operation by the United States and Israel. Several fighter jets dropped massive bombs on Khamenei’s office when he was addressing a high-level meeting, reports had stated. 

According to a latest report, Khamenei, who was told to go in one of his two bunkers by the military officials, had chosen to remain over ground despite threats to his life. 

Iran US War Intensifies

Already entering its fifth day, the war started by USA and Israel has now spiraled across the gulf region after Iran struck US airbases in different middle eastern nations. Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and UAE witnessed Iranian attacks in retaliation to US-Israel actions. 

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