▲ Funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The funeral for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the second Supreme Leader of Iran, begins today, July 4, and will continue for one week in the capital, Tehran, and the Shiite holy city of Mashhad.
This comes 126 days after he was killed in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28, the day the war began.
Ayatollah Khamenei’s body was moved yesterday to the Imam Khomeini Mosalla, a large prayer venue in Tehran, to receive condolences from diplomatic envoys.
Iranian state television broadcast footage of citizens weeping at the sight of the coffins placed on the podium, which included those of his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, who were killed in the same explosion.
The formal funeral proceedings begin today, July 4.
For the next two days, the public will be allowed to pay their respects by passing by his coffin, which is lying in state at the Tehran Mosalla.
On July 6, the funeral procession will move to the religious city of Qom in central Iran, followed by ceremonies on July 7 in the Iraqi Shiite holy city of Karbala, as well as in Baghdad and Najaf.
The funeral schedule will conclude on July 9 with a burial ceremony at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, a Shiite holy site in northeastern Iran and the birthplace of Ayatollah Khamenei.
The Iranian government expects up to 20 million people—more than 20 percent of Iran's population—to gather for the mourning events in Tehran on July 4 and 5.
During the funeral of the first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in June 1989, 10.2 million people gathered in Tehran.
Tehran city officials have prepared 50 million loaves of bread for mourners and have opened some 5,000 mosques and 700 schools in the metropolitan area as shelters.
Shops across Tehran will be forced to close during this period.
Approximately 200 high-level delegations from about 100 countries are visiting Iran to attend the funeral.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the head of state of the country mediating the ceasefire talks between Iran and the U.S., is scheduled to pay his respects in person.
China will be represented by He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislative body.
The Iranian government has also invited approximately 600 foreign journalists.
Iranian authorities have set the slogan for this funeral as "We Shall Surely Rise."
This strongly signals an intention to use the funeral as an opportunity to vow revenge against the U.S. and Israel, and to consolidate public sentiment, which has been unsettled by the war.
Banners featuring the late Ayatollah Khamenei’s image alongside this slogan have been hung throughout Tehran.
It is also notable that July 4, the day the funeral begins, coincides with the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Regarding the schedule, Iranian authorities explained on June 25 that they aligned the funeral dates with the holy period spanning from Ashura (the day commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein) to Arba'een (the 40th day after Ashura).
This appears to be an attempt to create a religious narrative by projecting Ayatollah Khamenei’s death onto the tragic passing of Imam Hussein, the most revered figure among Shiite Muslims, thereby framing him as a martyr of a holy war against "infidels" (the West, including the U.S. and Israel).
However, Iran’s decision to hold a massive state funeral that vows revenge against the U.S. on the very day of America’s national celebration can be interpreted as an anti-American message of strong defiance.
This political significance is further highlighted by the fact that ceasefire negotiations with the U.S. are currently underway.
The funeral schedule for Ayatollah Khamenei has been significantly delayed, given the Islamic custom of burying the deceased within 48 hours.
This decision appears to have been made out of concern for potential U.S. or Israeli attacks targeting the funeral.
Although a ceasefire is in effect, Iranian authorities have effectively sealed off the area around the Mosalla, fearing that Israel might take surprise action targeting the funeral, where much of Iran’s leadership is expected to gather.
Military personnel and snipers have also been deployed to various locations to prepare for any contingencies.
These security measures are also intended to prevent safety accidents.
During the funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, at least eight people were crushed or suffocated to death due to the massive crowds in temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F).
The greatest point of interest regarding the funeral is whether Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Khamenei who succeeded to the position of Supreme Leader, will appear.
Appointed as the third Supreme Leader on March 8, early in the war, he has neither been seen in person nor has his voice been broadcast since then.
As a reclusive leader around whom rumors of serious injury have circulated, if he fails to appear before the Iranian people even at his father’s funeral, his authority is likely to suffer a significant blow.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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