Tehran (Republic PK) Iran has begun preparations for the funeral of former martyred Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the overall supervision of the arrangements will be carried out by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
According to the Iranian News Agency, Tehran’s Deputy Mayor for Social and Cultural Affairs Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh has said that public ceremonies are being organized for 3 days before the funeral, and the public will be given the opportunity to pay tribute to the late leader during the three-day mourning period.
He said that after the public ceremonies, the funeral prayer will be offered, after which the formal procession will begin. According to them, the procession in Tehran is likely to continue for at least 24 hours, after which the celebrations will also continue in Iran’s important religious centers of Qom and Mashhad, while according to the wishes of Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the burial is likely to be held near the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
According to Iranian officials, this will likely be one of the largest public gatherings in the country’s modern history and 15 million to 20 million people may participate in these celebrations.