Iran’s former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli and US airstrikes earlier this year, will be buried next month following a series of state funeral ceremonies, according to state television.
The burial will take place in Khamenei’s hometown of Mashhad, a holy city in northeastern Iran. The ceremony had originally been scheduled shortly after his death but was postponed because of the conflict that engulfed the country.
State media said the funeral proceedings will begin with three days of ceremonies in Tehran before moving to the religious city of Qom and concluding with his burial in Mashhad.
The start of the national mourning events is expected to coincide with the United States Independence Day celebrations next month, marking the country’s 250th anniversary.
Khamenei ruled Iran for nearly 37 years, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the Islamic Republic’s history. His death in the airstrikes also claimed the lives of several senior Iranian officials.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed supreme leader in March, becoming only the third person to hold the position since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly injured in the strikes that killed his father. He has not appeared publicly since assuming office and has communicated only through statements issued in his name.
Iranian authorities have yet to provide further details on security arrangements for the funeral ceremonies, which are expected to draw large crowds and senior officials from across the country.
