Iran Braces for Thousands of Deaths at Ayatollah Khamenei’s Funeral

Officials in Iran are preparing for up to 3,000 deaths at the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei due to massive crowds and extreme heat. A German report, citing a classified letter from the Iranian Red Crescent and the national crisis management organisation, says municipal authorities have drawn up contingency plans. These include special recovery units and thousands of new graves at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. The week-long procession will move through Tehran’s Grand Prayer Hall, Qom in Iran, then Najaf and Karbala in Iraq before burial in Mashhad on July 9. Free 24-hour metro and bus services, along with heightened security, aim to minimise stampede risks. Sources say at least 20 million mourners may attend. Officials have allocated millions of dollars for buses, temporary kitchens and emergency services to manage the large crowds.

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