The body of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Mashhad on Thursday ahead of his final burial, but the ceremony has been postponed after massive crowds gathered during the funeral procession in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
According to Iranian state television, the burial, initially scheduled for Thursday morning, has been rescheduled to 2:30 pm local time (11:00 GMT) because of the large number of mourners who participated in the previous day’s ceremonies.
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Footage broadcast by Iranian media showed a Mahan Air aircraft carrying Khamenei’s coffin landing in Mashhad, his birthplace and the final destination of a six-day funeral procession.
Why was Khamenei’s funeral delayed?
Iranian state media said the delay was caused by the scale of the crowds that gathered in Najaf and Karbala, where ceremonies were held on Wednesday before the coffin was flown to Mashhad.
The funeral cortege that commenced on July 4 started in Tehran and passed through Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and then to Mashhad. Iranian authorities have indicated that millions of mourners participated in the mourning ceremonies conducted in different cities.
Why is Mashhad important?
Mashhad is a holy city from a religious point of view as well as for the late leader personally since this is where the former Iranian leader was born in 1939. The deceased Iranian leader is to be laid to rest at the Imam Reza shrine that is a holy site in the religion of Shias.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran for 36 years until his assassination alongside his family members in a joint airstrike conducted by the United States and Israel at their residence in February 28, 2023.
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The burial ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was scheduled to take place in early March but was delayed several times due to security reasons as well as the ongoing war.
FAQs
Why was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral delayed?
The funeral ceremony has been postponed, according to Iranian state TV, because of the huge crowds that gathered during the funeral ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala before the coffin arrived in Mashhad.
Where will Ayatollah Ali Khamenei be buried?
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad, Iran, which is where he was born.
