India pays tribute to Khamenei; Iran bids final farewell to the Supreme Leader
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Iran is organizing a week-long funeral program to pay tribute to its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Millions of people are expected to participate. The funeral proceedings will begin on July 4 and conclude on July 9 with his burial in the holy city of Mashhad, which is also Khamenei’s hometown. Earlier on Friday, the bodies of Ali Khamenei and several family members were brought to the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla Mosque, where people were seen paying their respects.
Religious leaders from India pay tribute
Religious leaders from India also paid tribute to Iran’s Supreme Leader on Friday. The Iranian Embassy in India posted photos of the event on social media, showing saffron-clad Hindu and turbaned Sikh religious leaders paying their respects. In addition to religious leaders, politicians and civil society delegations also paid tribute to Khamenei. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Congress leader Salman Khurshid also offered their condolences; Christian and Hindu religious leaders were seen accompanying them.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who served as Iran’s Supreme Leader for over three decades, was killed on February 28—the very first day of a US-Israeli attack on Iran—triggering a major conflict in the region. Now, four months later, Iran has initiated the process for Khamenei’s funeral.
Grand preparations for the event in Iran
No effort has been spared to make this event grand. Preparations have been underway with great fanfare in the Iranian media for over ten days. The date chosen by Iran to launch the proceedings is being viewed as a signal to the United States; the US celebrates its Independence Day on July 4.
Schedule for Khamenei’s funeral proceedings
- July 4–6: The funeral proceedings for Ali Khamenei will begin in Tehran on July 4. His mortal remains will be placed at the Grand Mosalla prayer complex for public viewing. A massive procession will be held on the streets of Tehran on July 6, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to participate.
- July 7: Subsequently, the funeral procession will move to the holy city of Qom. Located approximately 140 kilometers southwest of Tehran, Qom is the center of Shia Islamic scholarship in Iran.
- July 8: The procession will also travel to the historic and holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in neighboring Iraq.
- July 9: Ali Khamenei will be laid to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine in his hometown of Mashhad.
According to Iranian media reports, between 15 and 20 million people are expected to participate in the six-day funeral program for the late leader. Authorities have issued a high alert in anticipation of the massive crowds.
