The farewell ceremony for Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been postponed due to an unprecedented turnout of mourners, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday.
According to APA, citing Iranian state media, a ceremony had initially been scheduled for 10 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla (prayer hall). However, a revised schedule will be announced later.
Clash Report, quoting Iran's state broadcaster, said the postponement was prompted by expectations of an “unprecedented” number of people attending the ceremony.
Earlier, senior Iranian official Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran's Islamic Propagation Council, told state media that Iranians would bid farewell to Khamenei during a three-day ceremony at the Imam Khomeini prayer ground.
“The Mosalla (prayer hall) will be receiving visitors and the dear people can attend and take part in the farewell ceremony and mark a strong presence once again,” Mahmoudi said in comments carried by Iranian media.
He added that the public would be able to pay their respects to the body of the late Supreme Leader beginning at 10 p.m., with the ceremony continuing for three days.
Also Read: Sacred Soil: Why Khamenei Will Be Buried In Mashhad, Heart Of Shia Pilgrimage
Khamenei, 86, was killed on Saturday in US-Israeli air strikes, alongside several family members and senior military commanders.
The Islamic Propagation Coordination Council said proceedings would be held at Imam Khomeini Mosalla, the large prayer complex traditionally used for Friday congregational prayers in Tehran.
Following the three-day mourning period, a funeral procession will be organised, though final arrangements are still being worked out. Media reports indicate that Khamenei is likely to be buried in his birthplace of Mashhad, where his father is also buried at the shrine of Imam Ali Reza.
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