The head of the Iranian negotiating team, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, called on Thursday “to avenge” the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed by Israeli-American strikes at the end of February, by going in large numbers to his funeral which begins on Saturday in Tehran.
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“I invite all the Iranian people (…) to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence,” declared the influential Mr. Ghalibaf, who is also the President of Parliament, in a statement.
“The nation’s call for vengeance must ring out in the ears of the entire world,” he added.
The remains of the man who led the Islamic Republic of Iran for nearly 37 years will be exhibited from Saturday at the Mosalla in Tehran.
This vast complex was designed to accommodate major Friday prayers, official commemorations and religious gatherings.
The authorities expect between 15 and 20 million participants in Tehran alone for this three-day tribute in the capital, where a funeral procession will pass on Monday.
“Iran (…) is preparing to experience one of the most significant moments in its history,” Mr. Ghalibaf underlined in his message.
This event is already extraordinary in its size and symbolism: Ali Khamenei was the longest-ruling head of state in the history of the Islamic Republic.
A religious leader, he is also the only Iranian leader in contemporary history to have been assassinated in office at the age of 86.
In the streets of Tehran, many banners and portraits describe Khamenei as “Mr. Martyr”.
Significant traffic restrictions will be put in place from Friday in the capital, notoriously congested, with a huge perimeter of the city center inaccessible by car.
No vehicle will be able to approach the Mosalla within a radius of more than one kilometer.
The airspace above Tehran will be partially closed from Friday and completely on Monday.
These funerals, initially planned for March but postponed due to the war, will take place over six days with a stopover in neighboring Iraq.
Ali Khamenei will finally be buried on July 9 in the holy city of Mashhad (north-eastern Iran), where he was from.
Leaders and officials from around thirty countries are expected in Tehran from Friday, including former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif.
Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, succeeded him as supreme guide in early March, but has not appeared in public since his appointment.
