According to the International AhlulBayt (a.s.) News Agency — ABNA — CNN wrote in a detailed report on the farewell and funeral ceremonies of the martyred leader of the revolution: four months after the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the beginning of the U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, his funeral and commemoration ceremonies are being held over a week‑long ritual in five cities and two countries; ceremonies expected to draw millions of participants.
The report added: these ceremonies are being held simultaneously with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and appear to carry a message for the United States as well. Iranian officials have announced that they have launched one of the largest logistical operations in the history of the Islamic Republic for these ceremonies. Government employees, universities, labor unions, firefighters, military forces, relief workers, and even religious groups have been mobilized to organize the ceremonies and manage the millions of pilgrims who will travel from various cities in Iran and Iraq to attend. Iraqi officials have also reported the presence of millions of mourners in that country.
Transforming the Martyred Leader into a Symbol of Resistance
CNN added: the purpose of these ceremonies is to send a message to the world and to the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the system has not only survived an existential war, but will also transform its martyred leader into a symbol of resistance and steadfastness.
Mohammad‑Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of Parliament and head of Iran’s negotiating team with the United States, wrote in a message: “We must make the cry of the nation’s blood heard across the world so that everyone knows the noble people of Iran do not remain silent in the face of oppression and will never forget the blood of their Imam (Ayatollah Khamenei).” He described these ceremonies as an “epic” that will display the greatness of the Iranian nation’s spirit.
The report continued: the timing of these ceremonies also carries symbolic messages. The body of Ayatollah Khamenei is to be placed for public farewell coinciding with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, and another part of the ceremonies coincides with one of the major Shiite occasions. All these rituals are being held in the month of Muharram — a month associated in Shiite culture with mourning, martyrdom, and the uprising of Imam Husayn (a.s.).
The Martyred Leader’s Power Increases After Martyrdom
“Sina Toossi,” senior researcher at the Center for International Policy, told CNN: the assassination of Khamenei has, symbolically, made him far more powerful than during his lifetime. He is now being presented as a martyred religious authority, similar to sacred Shiite figures who were martyred.
The report added: protecting the body of the former leader, managing millions of mourners, hosting foreign delegations, and holding ceremonies in five cities and two countries has become one of the largest security operations of the Islamic Republic.
The first public display of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei’s body will be held at 6 a.m. on Saturday at Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran. To counter the intense summer heat, the fire department has installed more than six thousand water sprayers at the site.
Domestic and international airports in Tehran will be closed during the days of the ceremonies, and public holidays have been declared in the cities through which Ayatollah Khamenei’s body will pass. The largest traffic plan in Tehran’s history is also being implemented; private vehicles are banned from the ceremony area, and more than 700 parking lots have been prepared to manage the crowds.
CNN continued: the Red Crescent has announced preparations in Tehran and other host cities. According to Iranian media, 2,500 ambulances, 21 helicopters, 100 drones, thousands of relief workers, more than 20 hospitals, 500,000 liters of IV solution, and 20,000 classrooms have been prepared to manage the ceremonies.
The government has also asked citizens to open their homes to pilgrims in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad. Additionally, mosques, sports halls, parks, and cultural centers have been prepared to accommodate millions of participants.
CNN, stating that these ceremonies are a display of the Islamic Republic’s power, added: on the third day of the ceremonies, the funeral procession will move from eastern Tehran toward the west of the capital. The body will then be transferred to Qom for further ceremonies, and from there to the cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, before finally being taken to the Shrine of Imam Reza (a.s.) in Mashhad — the birthplace of Ayatollah Khamenei — for burial.
The Transnational Message of the Funeral in Iraq
The transfer of the body to Iraq, according to analysts, symbolizes the image the Islamic Republic seeks to present of itself as a transnational and revolutionary force — a message that, after years of expanding regional influence, is now being emphasized more than ever.
Sina Toossi said: “Ayatollah Khamenei’s religious influence had extended to Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and other Shiite communities; therefore, holding ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala is highly significant and transforms this event from a purely Iranian ceremony into a transnational one.”
Iranian officials have estimated the number of participants between 4 and 15 million people; a figure which, if realized, would make this the largest funeral in modern history. It has also been announced that 14,000 journalists, including 900 foreign journalists, will cover the ceremonies.
State media have published lists of foreign guests in recent days. Iranian officials have announced that eight heads of state and twelve parliamentary speakers will attend the ceremonies, and that Western officials have not been invited.
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