TEHERAN – The mystery surrounding the state funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is once again in the world’s spotlight. After being scheduled to take place in early March, the Iranian government has now confirmed that the final farewell procession for the most influential figure in the Islamic Republic has been postponed again.
The Mayor of Tehran, Alireza Zakani, announced that Khamenei’s state funeral will probably not be held until late June to early July 2026.
This decision immediately sparked international public attention, considering that Khamenei is a central figure who has led Iran for more than three decades and is a symbol of the country’s political and religious power.
Previously, the Iranian government had planned the funeral ceremony to take place at the beginning of Muharram. However, the schedule was finally changed to respect the Shiite tradition of mourning on the first 10 days of the holy month.
According to Zakani, the funeral procession will only be held after Imam Hussein’s mourning period ends. Thus, the state ceremony is expected to take place between June 26 and July 5.
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This delay is not the first.
Khamenei’s funeral is actually scheduled to take place on March 4 2026, not long after the news of his death was announced. However, the unfavorable security situation and the impact of the ongoing conflict have made the government choose to postpone its implementation.
Now, massive preparations are starting to be made.
At the end of May, Iranian state television reported the formation of a special committee tasked with organizing the entire funeral procession. A number of state institutions are said to have been deployed to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Chairman of the Tehran Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council, Mohsen Mahmoudi, said that all relevant agencies are currently preparing technical and security plans to welcome the millions of mourners who are expected to crowd the capital.
The number of people predicted to attend is said to have reached 20 million people, a figure that could potentially make the procession one of the largest funerals in modern Middle Eastern history.
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Khamenei himself is known as Iran’s second highest leader after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. During his more than 30 years leading the Islamic Republic, he played an important role in determining Iran’s political, military and foreign policy direction.
His departure left a new chapter in the country’s history.
In the midst of the ongoing national mourning, attention is now also focused on his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Khamenei’s son was reportedly injured in the same attack and has not appeared in public since being appointed as Iran’s supreme leader.
With millions expected to take to the streets and the world’s attention focused on Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral is predicted to be one of the biggest political and religious events of the year.***
