Following a protracted delay brought on by the Islamic republic's conflict with the United States and Israel, Iranian authorities are preparing for a "grand" funeral for deceased supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to official media on Friday.
Mohsen Mahmoudi, the chairman of the Tehran Coordination Council for Islamic Propaganda, stated on state TV that "a special headquarters has been formed to prepare for the funeral ceremony, and various agencies are currently planning and making arrangements," even though the exact date was still unknown.
The initial wave of US-Israeli strikes that started the conflict on February 28 killed Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic republic for over thirty years.Mojtaba Khamenei, his son and successor, was also hurt in the attacks and has not been seen in public since taking office.
April saw the planning of an event honouring the elder Khamenei, but the conflict prevented the state funeral that had been planned.
Citing Mahmoudi, State TV stated that "widespread attendance" was anticipated and that "different organisations are working to provide the necessary conditions so that, once officially announced, a 'grand' ceremony can be held."
A settlement to end the fight permanently has been elusive, despite the fact that a ceasefire that went into place in April has mostly held.