Iran has postponed the state funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, citing the expectation of an “unprecedented turnout,” according to state television on Wednesday.
The farewell ceremony, which had been scheduled for Wednesday evening in Tehran, was cancelled just hours before it was set to commence.
“The farewell ceremony for the martyred Imam has been postponed. The new date will be announced later,” Iranian state television announced.
Khamenei, 86, was reportedly killed over the weekend during joint US-Israeli strikes that targeted key military and government installations in Tehran, in what is described as a major escalation of tensions in the region.
Earlier in the day, Iranian officials said a tribute ceremony would take place in the capital before his body would be transported to the holy city of Mashhad, his birthplace, for burial.
However, authorities later confirmed that the event had been delayed, pointing to the massive number of mourners expected to attend.
Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran’s Islamic Development Coordination Council, which is organising the funeral, said the postponement was necessary because of “the expected participation of millions of people and the need to provide the proper infrastructure” to manage the crowd.
Tehran has faced sustained missile strikes, with reported attacks on strategic military and government facilities since Saturday 28th February 2026.
While authorities have not directly connected the funeral’s postponement to the ongoing security challenges, the capital remains under heightened tension amid continuing strikes.
Iran postpones Ali Khamenei’s funeral hours before schedule
