World leaders are anticipated to participate in a multi-day funeral procession for the late Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran, who was killed at 86 during the onset of the US-Israel conflict in Tehran. Over 100 countries’ leaders are set to attend the initial ceremony before his body is transported for public viewing in Iran and Iraq.
The ceremony, commencing on Saturday, will feature the display of Ayatollah Khamenei’s coffin, alongside the remains of his family members who perished in the conflict. Notably, European nations allied with the US and Israel have not been included in the invitation list.
The funeral is expected to draw millions of mourners in five cities across the two countries to pay tribute to the deceased leader. Concerns about potential stampedes, common in similar large-scale mourning events in the region, have arisen. Ayatollah Khamenei, known for his nearly four-decade authoritarian rule in Iran, was assassinated on February 28 during the joint military actions by the US and Israel.
Among the dignitaries expected to attend are Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, credited with aiding in the current ceasefire negotiations. Additionally, leaders such as President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, and Mikheil Kavelashvili of Georgia will be present.
Notably, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and foreign officials from Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh will be in attendance. The public appearance of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of Iran and son of the deceased, remains uncertain due to severe injuries sustained in the same strike that claimed his family members’ lives.
Despite the tensions in the region, the ceasefire is holding, albeit with Iran’s warnings to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The funeral proceedings will span several days, with Ayatollah Khamenei’s body to be displayed in various locations before his final burial in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, at the Imam Reza shrine, a popular pilgrimage site known for its spiritual significance.
