04.03.2026 14:11
A "farewell ceremony" for the religious leader Ali Khamenei, who lost his life in the attack carried out by the United States and Israel on Saturday, was to be held for three days. However, a new announcement stated that the ceremony has been postponed.
The death of Iran's religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reported to have lost his life in the attack carried out by the US and Israel on the first day of the war, has drawn reactions from many countries, while a new development has occurred regarding the farewell ceremony planned to be held in Iran.
CEREMONY POSTPONED WITH HOURS TO GO
Iranian media had announced that a three-day "farewell ceremony" would be held for Khamenei. In the initial statements, it was mentioned that the ceremony would start today at 21:30 local time at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in the capital Tehran. However, hours later, Iranian state media announced that the ceremony had been postponed. It was reported that the updated program would be announced later.
BURIAL IN MASHHAD EXPECTED
According to Iran's semi-official news agency Fars, Khamenei's body will be buried in the city of Mashhad after the ceremonies held in Tehran. It is expected that Khamenei will be laid to rest in Mashhad, where the tomb of the Eighth Imam, Imam Reza, is located.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CITY OF MASHHAD
Mashhad, the second largest city in Iran, is considered one of the country's holy sites. The most significant reason for the growth of this settlement, formerly known as Sanabad, is the presence of the tomb of Ali al-Ridha, who is regarded as the eighth imam in the "12 Imams" lineage of Shia belief. Mashhad, which is one of the most important centers for religious tourism in Iran, hosts millions of visitors every year.
The city's name Sanabad was later changed to "Mashhad-i Imam Reza," meaning "the place where Imam Reza was martyred"; it is currently known simply as "Mashhad."
CHILD OF A AZERBAIJANI TURK FAMILY
Khamenei, who was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, had a father, Ayatollah Javad Khamenei, who was a cleric of Azerbaijani origin. His family belonged to the Azerbaijani Turkish community in Iran. Khamenei, known as one of the closest collaborators of Ayatollah Khomeini, became a key figure in the construction of the new regime by holding critical positions such as Minister of Defense and President for two terms during the post-revolutionary period.
IRAN'S STRONGEST NAME FOR 37 YEARS
Since 1989, Ali Khamenei has held the position of "Leader," the highest decision-making authority in Iran, leaving significant marks on Iran's domestic and foreign policy throughout his political career.
US-ISRAEL ATTACKS ON IRAN
While negotiations continued between the governments of Tehran and Washington, Israel and the US launched a military attack on Iran on February 28. Iran responded with attacks on targets it identified in several regional countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain, where US bases are located, in addition to Israel.
In the US-Israel attacks, many high-ranking officials, including Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were killed.
The Iranian Red Crescent announced that 787 people lost their lives in the US-Israel attacks.