Tehran (Web Desk): Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was martyred in US-Israeli attacks, was brought to Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex on Friday as preparations got underway for his funeral, according to Iranian state media.
IRNA reported on its Telegram channel, “The body of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution has arrived at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla,” referring to the religious complex by its official name.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was martyred when in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.
The funeral procession for Iran’s supreme leader is set to follow a symbolic route linking some of the most significant religious and political centres of the Islamic Republic.
Beginning in Tehran, the ceremonies will continue through the holy cities of Qom, Karbala and Najaf before concluding in Mashhad, reflecting the nation’s spiritual heritage, political leadership and ideological identity.
The state funeral, which was postponed during the height of the Middle East conflict, comes as Iran and the United States (US) continue to observe a fragile ceasefire reached after the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to bring an end to the fighting.
The conflict erupted when the US and Israel launched their initial military strikes on Iran, killing the supreme leader along with several of his close family members, including his daughter, grandchild, son-in-law and daughter-in-law. The attacks also claimed the lives of a number of senior Iranian military figures, among them Ali Shamkhani, a key adviser to the supreme leader.
His public funeral will begin on Saturday, when the late leader’s body will be placed in state at Tehran’s sprawling Grand Mosalla complex, a prominent venue that regularly hosts Friday prayers, state ceremonies and major religious events.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said an overwhelming public presence at the funeral of late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would send a powerful message rejecting terrorism, violence and intimidation, while also showcasing the country’s solidarity.
According to state broadcaster Press TV, President Pezeshkian described the expected turnout as a “decisive” response to those challenges.