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Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend the public funeral ceremonies of his father (Img: Dynamite News)
Tehran: Iran has begun the final farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with state media reporting that his coffin was taken to the site where he was assassinated ahead of two days of funeral ceremonies expected to draw millions of mourners.
According to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, the coffin was brought in an unannounced procession to the location of Khamenei's assassination, where officials and supporters paid tribute before the state funeral begins.
Iranian authorities have scheduled public mourning ceremonies for July 4 and 5 in Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expects up to 20 million people to participate, potentially making it one of the largest public gatherings in the country's history.
The public farewell will begin at 6 am local time at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Prayer Grounds, followed by funeral prayers and a large procession across the capital.
Authorities have also revised the funeral procession route after technical assessments found that no single road in Tehran could safely accommodate the expected turnout of millions. Instead of a single route, the procession will move through a broader corridor across the capital, with vehicle movement restricted in the designated ceremony zone to ensure the smooth flow of mourners.
Why Iran is preparing a massive Khamenei farewell? Security fears rise amid Israel threats
Current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend the public funeral ceremonies due to security concerns, according to Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, his representative in India.
Elahi said Israeli threats and surveillance risks made it unsafe for Mojtaba Khamenei to appear in public during the funeral. Authorities have reportedly made special arrangements for the late leader's family while tightening security throughout Tehran.
