Iran readies Friday funeral for former supreme leader Khamenei

Preparations are ongoing at the Mosalla Mosque, the main prayer site in Tehran, for the funeral ceremony of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Feb. 28.

A large platform has been installed in the mosque courtyard to place Khamenei’s coffin and the coffins of other officials killed in the same attack, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

The area around the platform was surrounded by concrete blocks, with strict restrictions imposed on access to the site.

A cooling system was also installed in the mosque courtyard to reduce the impact of high temperatures on participants in the funeral ceremonies.

An official international memorial ceremony is scheduled for Friday, with the participation of heads of state, senior officials and religious leaders.

Public funeral ceremonies are expected to begin Saturday, with participants gathering from 6 a.m. local time at the Mosalla Mosque to observe a minute of silence and offer condolences.

Authorities plan to bury Khamenei’s body on July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad.

On June 17, Iran and the US reached a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their military conflict. It provides a framework for addressing outstanding issues between Washington and Tehran through negotiations, including a cessation of hostilities, sanctions relief, the nuclear file, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and broader regional security arrangements.

*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul