In a moment that speaks volumes about the depth of love and grief felt across Iran, authorities were forced to postpone the state funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not because of security threats, but simply because too many millions of people wanted to come and say goodbye.
The farewell ceremony, which had been scheduled for Wednesday evening in Tehran, was cancelled just hours before it was set to begin. Iranian state television announced that the event had been delayed, pointing to the massive number of mourners expected to attend.
Authorities cited the need to provide proper infrastructure for the expected participation of millions of people as the primary reason for the delay. A new date was not immediately announced.
Officials also received requests from people in different provinces across Iran who wished to travel to Tehran specifically to attend the ceremony, further adding to the logistical challenge of managing the enormous expected crowds.
Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in an Israeli strike on Saturday. On Sunday, thousands gathered in the centre of Tehran to mourn, dressed mostly in black, many crying, chanting slogans, and holding photographs of the late Supreme Leader.
The scale of grief is historically significant, some 10 million people attended the funeral of Khamenei’s predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, and this funeral is expected to potentially surpass even that historic turnout.
Meanwhile, Iran’s senior clerics confirmed the country was close to selecting a new Supreme Leader, with Khamenei’s son Mojtaba among the top contenders to succeed his father.
The delayed funeral is now being watched by the entire world, a nation in grief, preparing to bid farewell to a man who led it for 37 years.
