Iran prepares burial for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei

Iranian authorities have begun preparations for the burial of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on 28 February during the first day of the U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran. The funeral, originally slated for early March, has been postponed indefinitely with no specific date announced.

A special general staff has been formed to organize the ceremony, headed by Mohezen Mahmoudi, director of Tehran’s Islamic Coordination Council. Mahmoudi described the planned event as a "grand ceremony with a large public presence." Khamenei, 86, led the Islamic Republic for more than 36 years. His son, who succeeded him in early March, has not appeared publicly and is reportedly injured by the bombings, communicating only in written messages. Thousands of Iranians paid tribute to Khamenei in April, following tradition, and a ceasefire was declared on 8 April, yet the burial has not taken place.