Iran has postponed a state funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that was scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening in Tehran, citing expectations of an exceptionally large public attendance, Iranian state television reported.Local Iranian media reported, citing Agence France-Presse, that “the farewell ceremony for the martyr imam has been postponed. The new date will be announced later.”
Iran announces shocking “Khamenei’s revenge” operation; Israeli and American military sites
Earlier in the day, the authorities announced that a honoring ceremony would be held in the capital before Khamenei’s body was transferred to the holy city of Mashhad, his birthplace, for burial. The 86-year-old cleric was killed over the weekend in joint US-Israeli raids.
Tehran has been facing continuous bombardment since Saturday, with missiles hitting military and government sites. Officials did not directly link the postponement to the security situation.Read also: Hitting US assets across the Middle East on the fifth day of the conflict; Israel launches new strikes on Iran and LebanonMohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Islamic Development Coordination Council in Tehran, which is overseeing the arrangements, said the delay was partly due to the expected participation of millions and the logistical preparations needed to accommodate such crowds.
