The governor of Qom province said the Supreme Leader's funeral in the city expected millions of attendees, many from abroad. Citing a forecast of 45°C (113°F), he noted plans to begin the ceremony at 5:00 AM and conclude by 11:00 AM if the body arrives overnight, according to Iranian sources.
The Qom governor's statement, reported Thursday night by Iranian media, provides logistical updates for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Officials are preparing for a large influx to the holy city, with a major concern being the extreme heat expected on the funeral day. The plan to hold the ceremony in the early morning aims to spare mourners the peak afternoon temperatures exceeding 40°C. This follows a series of announcements on the funeral itinerary. As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, the interior ministry assigned the IRGC responsibility for organizing the ceremonies in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad. Previous reports have indicated a burial in Mashhad on July 9, with a ceremony in Baghdad on July 8-9. The Qom leg is central given the city's status as Iran's clerical center and the location of the shrine of Fatima Masumeh, though no official rationale for the choice of Qom for the funeral was cited in this report.
2 developments
- DevelopingIran deputy says neighbors want to send over 1 million mourners to Khamenei funeral
- StrongTehran mayor says Khamenei funeral ceremonies to take place in Iraq on July 8–9
- DevelopingIran's interior ministry assigns IRGC responsibility for Khamenei funeral arrangements
- DevelopingTehran governor announces main funeral ceremony for Imam to be held in capital
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- Internal intake