Iran is preparing one of the biggest and most tightly choreographed state funerals in its history for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 

Delayed for months because of war and security concerns, the six-day farewell is as much about politics as it is about mourning. Here are five things that make it extraordinary.

1. Why has Khamenei's body remained unburied for months?

One of the most unusual aspects of Khamenei's funeral is the delay. 

Nearly five months after his death, his body is believed to have remained in refrigerated cold storage instead of being buried immediately—an extraordinary departure from Islamic tradition, which generally calls for burial within 24 hours. 

Iranian authorities are reportedly delaying the burial to ensure unprecedented security and avoid another funeral disaster.

2. Khomeini's funeral turned into a deadly stampede

The shadow of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 1989 funeral still looms over Iran. Millions of mourners overwhelmed security, triggering a stampede that killed at least 10 people and injured thousands. 

The chaos became so severe that mourners broke through barriers, the body reportedly fell from the coffin, and the burial had to be abandoned before authorities airlifted the body by helicopter for a second attempt. 

Another deadly crush at General Qassem Soleimani's funeral in 2020, which killed more than 50 people, has only reinforced Tehran's determination to prevent a repeat.

3. Every stop on the funeral route carries a powerful message

Khamenei's body will travel through Tehran, Qom and Mashhad—three cities that define Iran's political and religious identity. 

Tehran represents the seat of state power, Qom is the heart of Shia religious scholarship where Khamenei built his clerical credentials, while Mashhad, his birthplace, is home to the revered Imam Reza shrine and will be his final resting place. 

The carefully planned route links Khamenei's personal journey with the ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic.

4. The funeral is also a political show of strength

The week-long ceremony is designed to project stability during one of the Islamic Republic's most uncertain moments. 

Coming after Khamenei's death in a US-Israeli strike, the funeral is intended to demonstrate that the state remains firmly in control despite war, regional tensions and a sensitive leadership transition. 

Authorities have mobilised the Basij militia, the Revolutionary Guards and thousands of volunteers to secure what could become the largest funeral in Iran's history.

5. The guest list reveals Iran's diplomatic reality

Although officials from around 60 countries are expected to attend, many of Iran's biggest partners are sending senior delegates rather than their top leaders. 

China has dispatched senior lawmaker He Wei instead of President Xi Jinping, while Russia is also expected to send a high-level delegation rather than President Vladimir Putin. 

The restrained representation underscores Iran's international isolation even as Tehran seeks to use the funeral to showcase resilience and solidarity with its remaining allies.