Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, deputy mayor of Tehran for cultural and social affairs, said on Tuesday that major preparations for the farewell, funeral, and burial ceremonies of the “Martyred Imam” are being finalized with the participation of national institutions and municipalities across the country.
He stated that three days of farewell ceremonies and a 24-hour funeral procession have been planned in Tehran, adding that the venue is still being finalized and will be chosen between Tehran’s Musalla (Grand Prayers Hall) and the mausoleum of founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.
He noted that the funeral procession in Tehran is expected to last at least 24 hours. Afterward, the body of the martyred Leader will be transferred to the holy city of Qom and then to Mashhad for similar ceremonies.
Based on recommendations made by relevant authorities, the final burial site of Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei will be the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in the northeastern city of Mashhad, he added.
The official explained that given Mashhad’s geographical location, officials expect the city to host a massive number of foreign pilgrims, particularly from Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and the Kashmir region.
Tavakolizadeh said the Astan Quds Razavi organization and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Khorasan Razavi Province have prepared special arrangements to host pilgrims and conduct the burial ceremony.