Iran Declares Three-Day Public Holiday for Khamenei Funeral Ceremonies

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iranian authorities have declared three days of public holidays in Tehran to mark the funeral ceremonies of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, state television reported on Tuesday.

According to Hassan Hassanzadeh, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander overseeing the funeral arrangements, farewell ceremonies and prayers for Khamenei will be held at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on July 4 and 5, while the official funeral is scheduled for July 6.

"The farewell ceremony and prayers for the martyred leader's body will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and 5, in Tehran's Grand Mosalla, and the funeral will be held on Monday, July 6, and Tehran province will be off for these three days," Hassanzadeh was quoted as saying by state media.

Earlier reports indicated that Tehran would observe public holidays on July 4 and 5, while the funeral day on July 6 would be a nationwide holiday across Iran.

Khamenei was killed during a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign that targeted key Iranian leadership sites. The operation involved intelligence support from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was carried out by Israeli and U.S. air forces.

The strike severely damaged Khamenei's primary residence and office compound and also resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian officials, as well as members of his family, including his daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law.

After initial reports and conflicting accounts, the Iranian government officially confirmed Khamenei's death on March 1.

Following a brief transitional period overseen by an interim council, Iran's Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's 56-year-old son, as the country's new Supreme Leader on March 8.

The funeral ceremonies are expected to draw large crowds of mourners, senior Iranian officials, and foreign delegations to the capital.