Iran begins funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, here is how the series of tributes will unfold

Following the reported death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attack, Iran has entered several days of national mourning and has begun funeral ceremonies in his honor.

Iranian authorities have planned a series of ceremonies in Tehran, Qom, Iraq and Mashhad, while expecting millions of citizens to take part, along with international delegations.

The ceremonies begin at the Grand Mosalla of Tehran, where the body will lie in state for public tributes for three days. After that, the funeral procession will continue to the holy city of Qom, as well as to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, before returning to Mashhad, where burial is planned at the Imam Reza Shrine.

To ensure the smooth running of the ceremonies, public and private institutions in Tehran have been temporarily closed, traffic restrictions have been imposed, and the airspace over the capital has also been partially restricted.

According to the organizers, attendance at the ceremonies is expected to range from 12 to 20 million people, while Iranian officials have described the event as the “funeral of the century.” Delegations from several countries, including Pakistan, are also expected to take part in the official ceremonies.

In this situation, attention has also focused on Mojtaba Khamenei as the successor to the supreme leadership, while so far the authorities have not confirmed whether he will be present at the funeral ceremony.