Mashhad, Jul 09 (V7N)- Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is scheduled to be laid to rest with full state honours on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad, where he will be buried at the revered Imam Reza shrine complex.
According to Iranian state media, Khamenei's body was returned to Iran from the Iraqi holy city of Karbala following funeral ceremonies attended by large crowds of mourners. The coffin was then transferred to the Imam Reza shrine complex ahead of the burial.
Iranian authorities said the burial ceremony will take place on Thursday evening at the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), one of the holiest sites for Shia Muslims and the country's most important religious sanctuary.
Born in Mashhad in 1939, Khamenei spent much of his early life in the northeastern Iranian city, which is regarded as one of the holiest destinations in Shia Islam. His burial at the Imam Reza shrine is widely viewed as recognition of his religious and political stature.
Khamenei was reportedly killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli military strike on February 28, according to Iranian authorities.
The Imam Reza shrine complex is also the final resting place of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024.
The burial is expected to conclude several days of state funeral ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq, with senior officials, religious leaders, and thousands of mourners taking part in the tributes.
END/SMA/AJ
