Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Thursday urged millions of Iranians to attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, calling for a show of national unity and a demand for vengeance following Khamenei’s death in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the start of the recent war.
In a statement, Ghalibaf invited Iranians to participate in funeral ceremonies beginning Saturday, saying a large turnout would demonstrate the country’s resolve.
“I invite all the Iranian people to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence,” he said, adding that “the nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world.”
The funeral, which was delayed during the height of the conflict, comes as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after reaching a preliminary agreement aimed at halting hostilities.
Khamenei, who was 86, was killed at his compound in central Tehran on Feb. 28, the first day of the war, according to Iranian authorities.
His public funeral will begin Saturday at the Grand Mosalla complex in Tehran, where his body will lie in state alongside the bodies of relatives killed during the conflict.
Iranian officials expect between 15 million and 20 million people to attend the ceremonies, which would make it the largest state funeral in the country’s history.
“Iran is preparing to experience one of the most significant moments in its history,” Ghalibaf said.
Authorities declared public holidays in Tehran and the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad during the funeral period. Public and private offices in Tehran will remain closed from Saturday through Monday, while traffic restrictions and temporary airspace closures will be enforced.
After the ceremonies in Tehran, Khamenei’s body is scheduled to be taken to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before burial on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, his birthplace.
It remains unclear whether Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, will appear publicly during the funeral. He has not been seen in public since assuming the position of supreme leader.
Iranian officials said representatives from about 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral, with mourners also arriving from neighboring Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
