Funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will begin in Tehran on Saturday, July 4, more than four months after his death.
Iranian officials announced a multi-stage event spanning Tehran, Qom, Iraq, and Mashhad, where burial is set for July 9.
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State-linked organizers project potential turnouts in the tens of millions, though external verification remains impossible.
Delay Sparks Criticism
The scheduling has drawn scrutiny due to Shiite Islamic customs requiring prompt burials after death. Critics question the delay's alignment with orthodox religious mandates.
"In Islamic jurisprudence, there is a strong emphasis on burying the dead without delay," said Vahid Heroabadi, a former Shiite cleric living in Europe, to DW.
He noted that the assassination and leadership transition could alter internal dynamics.
Heroabadi suggested the power shift could create a new domestic balance.
"It could provide the basis for a period of redefinition in the domestic balance of power and, consequently, in the country's external relations," he said.
New Leader's Absence
Uncertainty persists over whether Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as supreme leader, will attend public events.
He has not appeared in months following reported injuries from the same strike that killed his father.
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Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, head of Iran's national funeral committee, stated on July 1 that any announcement regarding Mojtaba Khamenei's attendance must come from the leader's office or the commander-in-chief.
