Iran Prepares For Khamenei's Biggest Funeral Procession Amid Fears Of 1989-Style Stampede

Tehran: The main funeral procession of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be held on Monday. The administration expects lakhs of people to attend and it could be one of the largest funeral processions in the country's history. Security agencies are also fully alert so that an incident like the stampede that happened in 1989 does not happen again.

For the last two days, a large number of people have been reaching Tehran's Grand Mosallah Mosque, where the mortal remains of Ali Khamenei and several members of his family were kept for the last glimpse. The funeral procession is planned to begin at around 6 am on Monday morning, which may last for about 10 to 12 hours across the city.

What lessons from the tragedy of 1989 were learnt?

This time the Iranian administration is taking special caution regarding security arrangements. In the year 1989, a huge crowd had gathered at the funeral of the then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Many people lost their lives in the stampede that took place during that time, while thousands were injured.

Keeping this experience in mind, this time strong concrete barricading has been done on the mosque premises between the crowd and the coffins so that the movement of those paying tribute can be controlled.

Did a huge crowd gather on Sunday also?

On Sunday, thousands of people reached the Grand Mosallah Mosque to pay tribute to Ali Khamenei and four other members of his family. According to government information, he died in US and Israeli air strikes on February 28.

However, the administration has not yet clarified how close the common people will be allowed to go to the coffins during the last journey. Officials say that security arrangements are being given priority.

Is this an opportunity for Iran to show strength?

Analysts believe that this funeral is not only a religious and emotional event, but also an opportunity for Iran to show its solidarity and political strength. After the recent conflict, the government wants to send a message to the world that the country is still united and stable.

When will tribute programmes be held?

After Monday's funeral procession, a tribute programme will be held in the religious city of Qom on Tuesday. After this, programmes are also proposed in Iraq's holy cities Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday. Ali Khamenei will be laid to rest in Mashhad city of north-eastern Iran on Thursday.

Meanwhile, his three sons appeared publicly at the funeral programme on Sunday, but Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet appeared. According to officials, he was reported injured in the recent air strikes, although no official details have been shared regarding his health condition.

The new head of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmed Vahidi, was also seen at the event organised on Sunday. This is believed to be his second public programme after staying away from public platforms during the war.