Iran will hold funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, officials said on June 2, 2026 [1]. The ceremonies will last three days, with the funeral procession in Tehran expected to continue for at least 24 hours [2, 1]. Authorities are preparing for up to 20 million mourners to attend the events in Tehran. "Authorities were preparing for between 15 million and 20 million participants in the capital," said Mohammad Amin Tavakkoli-Zadeh, Tehran's deputy mayor for social and cultural affairs [1].
Khamenei died on February 28, 2026, in a US-Israeli airstrike [2, 1]. His funeral was originally scheduled for March 4 but was postponed due to ongoing hostilities in the region [2]. According to his will and family requests, he will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, one of Iran's holiest sites [2, 1].
Mashhad is expected to receive a significant number of visitors from neighboring countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and Kashmir, reflecting the shrine's regional religious importance [1]. Meanwhile, other Iranian provinces have submitted requests to hold their own funeral and memorial events, indicating widespread observances across the country [1].
Officials remain focused on managing the massive gatherings and ensuring security during the ceremonies. The exact schedule for the three-day events and the funeral procession beginning in Tehran will be announced shortly.
The three-day ceremonies mark the first major public event since the delayed funeral was postponed in March due to conflict. The funeral proceedings and burial at the Imam Reza shrine are expected to take place within the coming days [2, 1].
