Preparation for millions: Iran is preparing for the funeral week of Ali Khamenei

Iran is preparing for the funeral of Ali Khamenei, in what is expected to be the biggest event in the history of the Islamic Republic. The late leader’s funeral will be held as a large-scale state event that will last about a week – starting today (Friday) until next Thursday, and will be spread across several major cities in Iran and Iraq. The ceremonies will take place in Tehran, Qom and Shahid, with a short foray to Iraq as well.

A long list of senior officials and foreign officials have already arrived in Tehran, among others: the prime minister of Armenia, the commander of the Pakistani army, as well as officials from Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Iraq, China, Taliban members, the exiled opposition of Afghanistan, Hezbollah and Amal members from Lebanon, representatives of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, Palestinian representatives, representatives From Georgia, Russia, Thailand and more

As part of the preparations the day before, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bakr Kalibaf, met with representatives of the Amal movement, Hezbollah’s ally, who had come to Khamenei’s funeral events in Tehran. Also, for the first time since he was appointed at the beginning of the war, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmed Vahidi, appeared in a meeting with the President of Iran, the Speaker of the Parliament and other officials that dealt with the preparations for Ali Khamenei’s funeral.

After that, Vahidi continued his tours in Tehran in preparation for the start of the funeral events. In a document published by media in Iran, Wehidi is seen next to Ali Khamenei’s coffin at the farewell ceremony that took place in Tehran.

According to the schedule published in the official media and reported in Iran, a tribute to foreign representatives and leaders is expected to take place in Tehran today, and according to the reports, representatives from dozens of countries are expected to participate. On Saturday and Sunday in July, public farewell ceremonies will be held in the capital, and on Monday the main funeral procession will take place in Tehran. On Tuesday, ceremonies will be held in the city of Qom, and on Thursday the burial event will take place in Mashhad. It is estimated that the coffin may also reach the cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, which are holy to Shiites.

The security forces are preparing for a large-scale operation to secure the events. According to reports, the Basij forces and the Revolutionary Guards will be responsible for crowd management, transportation and logistics. As part of the preparations, the possibility of canceling flights is taken into account, and large parking areas and reception complexes will be established. Schools, mosques, sports halls and universities may serve as accommodation for participants.

The extensive preparation comes at the height of tensions with the US and Iran, and in Tehran they are determined to present a large and impressive event that “goes smoothly” and is conducted without a hitch. In the extensive sequence of events, many senior Iranian officials are expected to participate, starting with President Pashkhian, the Speaker of the Parliament Kalibaf and many others. At the same time, there is a big question mark if this time we will see the new Iranian leader Mujtaba Khamenei for the first time, and if he will attend his father’s funeral ceremony, as well as, for example, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmed Vahidi, who has not been seen in public since he was appointed to the position after his predecessor was assassinated during the war.