Reports indicate that Iranian authorities are hesitant to proceed with the burial of the deceased Supreme Leader several months after his demise. Ali Khamenei, aged 86, was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, triggering a conflict between Iran and the US. His son has assumed leadership following his death.
The cleric’s remains remain unburied, deviating from customary practices, as per the New York Post. A security expert suggests that the delay is due to Tehran’s reluctance to conduct the burial ceremony.
Unlike the massive public mourning witnessed during the funeral of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, the commemoration for Khamenei lacked widespread participation amid ongoing airstrikes that targeted top regime officials.
Concerns over potential Israeli airstrikes, nationalist demonstrations, and the absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader who has not been publicly seen since his appointment, have contributed to the delay in organizing a burial ceremony.
Discussions are underway to select Mashhad, located in the remote northeastern region and Khamenei’s hometown, as the burial site. This location offers both practical and symbolic significance, potentially providing enhanced security for the gravesite.
Initial plans for a state funeral on March 4 were disrupted by intensified military actions by Israel and the US. No specific dates have been set for the burial ceremony as of now.
A temporary truce between the US and Iran was signed on April 8, set to expire soon.