Iran prepares historic farewell for Khamenei with six-day funeral across Iran and Iraq

Iran is preparing one of the largest state funerals in its history for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with a six-day series of mourning ceremonies expected to draw millions of people across Iran and Iraq before his burial in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

According to The New York Times, Iranian authorities have transformed Tehran into a city of mourning ahead of the funeral, draping major streets with black banners, displaying giant portraits of Khamenei and mobilising thousands of volunteers to accommodate pilgrims arriving from across the country. 

The funeral is expected to become the largest public gathering in Iran since the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic.

The ceremonies, delayed for several months after Khamenei's death during the Iran war, will officially begin on July 4 in Tehran before moving to the holy city of Qom and concluding on July 9 with his burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his hometown, according to Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera reported that the farewell will unfold across several cities, reflecting both Khamenei's political stature and the religious symbolism attached to Shiite mourning traditions. 

Public processions are scheduled in Tehran over several days before funeral prayers in Qom and a final burial ceremony in Mashhad. Memorial gatherings are also planned in Iraq's Shiite holy cities, underscoring Khamenei's influence beyond Iran.

According to The New York Times, authorities are operating Tehran's metro around the clock, arranging discounted transportation and temporary accommodation, and establishing thousands of volunteer-run food stations to serve mourners expected to travel from every province. 

Officials hope the funeral will project national unity during one of the most significant leadership transitions in the Islamic Republic's history.

Iranian state media have described the funeral as a national farewell to a leader who shaped the country for nearly four decades. Reuters reported that senior foreign delegations from countries including China and India are expected to attend the ceremonies alongside regional allies, highlighting Iran's continued diplomatic ties despite years of international isolation.

Security has been significantly tightened ahead of the ceremonies. According to Reuters, Iranian authorities have imposed heightened security measures, increased military deployments and warned that any attack during the funeral period would trigger an immediate response. 

Temporary restrictions around key religious sites and major procession routes are also expected throughout the week-long mourning period.

Khamenei led Iran from 1989 until his death, making him the country's second Supreme Leader after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. 

During his 36-year rule, he became the ultimate authority over Iran's political system, armed forces, judiciary and foreign policy, while overseeing the country's transformation into a regional power despite decades of sanctions, diplomatic isolation and repeated confrontations with the United States and Israel.

Before becoming Supreme Leader, Khamenei served as Iran's president from 1981 to 1989 during the final years of the Iran-Iraq War. 

Although he lacked the senior religious credentials traditionally associated with the position, he was chosen by the Assembly of Experts following Khomeini's death and gradually consolidated authority over every major institution of the Islamic Republic.

Throughout his leadership, Khamenei championed the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih, or guardianship of the Islamic jurist, strengthening the role of the Supreme Leader as the country's highest political and religious authority. 

He also expanded the influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, deepened Iran's support for allied armed groups across the Middle East and maintained a confrontational stance toward Washington and Tel Aviv.

According to The New York Times, the carefully choreographed funeral is intended not only as a farewell to Iran's longest-serving modern leader but also as a demonstration that the Islamic Republic remains stable after months of conflict and uncertainty. 

Officials hope the massive turnout will reinforce the legitimacy of the country's leadership during a sensitive political transition.

At the same time, Reuters noted that the funeral carries broader political significance. While state institutions are seeking to showcase national solidarity, the ceremonies are also unfolding against a backdrop of economic hardship, international sanctions and lingering domestic divisions, making the public response an important test for Iran's leadership.

The final stage of the funeral will take place on July 9 at Mashhad's Imam Reza shrine, one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites. 

According to Al Jazeera, Khamenei's burial there fulfils his longstanding wish to be laid to rest in his birthplace, bringing to a close the public farewell to a leader whose influence shaped Iran's domestic politics and regional strategy for more than three decades.

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