TEHRAN — Iranian authorities are preparing for a “grand” funeral for slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, official media reported Friday, nearly three months after his death in the initial wave of US-Israeli bombings that triggered the region to the war. The ceremony, which had been planned for shortly after his death, was frequently postponed due to the fighting and increased security concerns. Though the timing was still uncertain, “a special headquarters has been formed to prepare for the funeral ceremony, and various agencies are currently planning and making arrangements,” state TV reported, citing Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Tehran Coordination Council for Islamic Propaganda. Khamenei, the second supreme leader of Iran following the 1979 revolution and the ruler of the Islamic Republic for over 30 years, was assassinated on February 28 during the first phase of the US-Israeli attacks. His death was later verified by Iranian state media, and a national mourning period for 40 days was declared. His son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei was also wounded in the attacks and has not been seen in public since assuming office. State TV, quoting Mahmoudi, said different organizations are working to provide the necessary conditions so that a large-scale national ceremony can be held with “widespread attendance”. Iranian officials expect millions of mourners will attend once the funeral date is officially confirmed, making it one of the largest state funerals in the country’s modern history.
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