According to Iranian reports, authorities changed the planned funeral procession route for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the last moment, deciding to transport the coffin by helicopter over the crowds after several metro stations collapsed under the weight of the massive turnout. The decision, which reportedly angered participants and drew criticism from channels affiliated with the IRGC, saw the procession begin only from the midpoint of the original route.
The funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei took another dramatic turn on Monday morning, as Iranian authorities reportedly changed the planned procession route at the last moment and decided to transport the coffin by helicopter over the crowds. According to reports circulating on Iranian social media, several metro stations collapsed under the weight of the massive turnout, prompting the change. The procession reportedly began only from the midpoint of the original route, a decision that angered many participants and drew criticism from channels affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The decision came after a day of conflicting reports about crowd sizes and the procession's progress. On Sunday at 12:15 Jerusalem time, The Zioneer reported that organizers expected up to 20 million participants, and that video footage from a single source showed Khamenei's coffin being driven through Tehran crowds. By Sunday evening, N12 correspondent Sapir Lipkin reported that the vehicle also carried family members killed alongside Khamenei. Earlier Sunday, an Iranian channel reported over 9 million attendees at funeral prayers, while a separate AI-based analysis estimated only about 250,000. The new helicopter transport decision, reported Monday morning, appears to be the regime's response to the logistical strain of managing an event of this scale.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday July 3, the funeral ceremonies began in Tehran as foreign delegations arrived, and a correspondent reported that 20 million were expected from Tehran alone. The Zioneer has been covering the proceedings since preparations began on Thursday July 2, when reports detailed the construction of a special vehicle for Khamenei's frozen body.
The reports of metro station collapses and the last-minute route change remain unverified by independent sources. It is also unclear how the helicopter transport will be carried out and whether the original burial schedule for July 9 in Mashhad remains unchanged.
9 developments
- DevelopingReports: Funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei to Last Six Days
- DevelopingIranian reports detail construction of vehicle for Khamenei's frozen body
- DevelopingThe Zioneer's correspondent: 20 million expected from Tehran alone for Khamenei's funeral
- StrongIranian media: Khamenei funeral ceremony to be held in Qom on Tuesday
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