“If everyone were dead within seconds”: concerns about Khamenei’s funeral

According to media reports, the entire political and military elite would have to appear at the mourning ceremonies – including Mojtaba Khameneiwho is considered a possible successor to his father.

No exact schedule

An Iranian journalist describes the risk of an air attack drastically: “On the one hand, the funeral with the participation of all those responsible as well as the media and millions of revolution supporters is a must, on the other hand, they would all be dead within seconds.”

Due to the security situation, there is currently no exact schedule for the ceremonies. Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, is to be buried in the Imam Reza mausoleum in his hometown of Mashhad. The shrine in the northeast of the country is a holy site for Shiites. Before that, there will be a large mourning ceremony in the capital Tehran.

According to media reports, there are also logistical problems. There have been no flights since the attacks on Tehran’s Mehrabad airport. By car, the almost 900-kilometer route from Tehran to Mashhad would take around ten hours. However, the routes are known and vehicles could be targeted.

Train connections in the country have also been severely restricted since the attacks.