Iran has announced a three-day state funeral plan for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The ceremonies will take place sequentially in Tehran, the religious city of Qom, and Mashhad. Authorities and security forces have begun extensive preparations to ensure smooth arrangements. Tehran’s Deputy Mayor Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh said a 24-hour mourning event is being prepared in the capital, with an estimated participation of around 20 million people.

Khamenei will be buried in Mashhad, his birthplace, near the shrine of Imam Reza, where his father was also laid to rest. Although the exact date has not been confirmed, officials indicated the burial may coincide with the beginning of Muharram, expected in mid-June. Khamenei was killed on February 28 in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike, after which Iran declared 40 days of national mourning and a seven-day public holiday.

Earlier plans for a farewell ceremony in March were postponed due to continued airstrikes, but the government has now resumed preparations for the final rites.