Iran’s Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has urged millions of Iranians to participate in the funeral of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing the ceremony as an opportunity to honour his legacy and send a strong message to the international community.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ghalibaf called on citizens to attend the funeral, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday, saying the gathering should reflect the nation’s resolve following Khamenei’s death in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes at the start of the recent Middle East conflict.
“I invite all the Iranian people to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence.
“The nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world,” Ghalibaf said.
The funeral, which was postponed during the height of the conflict, comes as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after reaching a preliminary agreement aimed at ending hostilities.
Khamenei, regarded as the spiritual leader of millions of Shiite Muslims, was killed at the age of 86 on February 28 during strikes on his compound in central Tehran on the opening day of the war.
The main funeral ceremony will be held at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, a major religious and state venue where his body will lie in state. The remains of several of his relatives killed during the conflict will also be displayed.
Iranian authorities estimate that between 15 and 20 million people could attend the funeral, potentially making it the largest state funeral in the country’s history.
“Iran is preparing to witness one of the most significant moments in its modern history,” Ghalibaf said.
To facilitate the ceremonies, public holidays have been declared in Tehran as well as the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad.
Government offices and many private institutions in the capital will remain closed from Saturday through Monday, while extensive traffic restrictions and airspace closures have also been announced.
Following the Tehran ceremony, Khamenei’s body will be taken to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before being buried on July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace in northeastern Iran.
Meanwhile, uncertainty remains over whether Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, will make a public appearance at the funeral, having largely remained out of public view since assuming the country’s highest leadership position.
Officials said delegations from about 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral, with thousands of mourners also anticipated to travel from neighbouring Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
