Iranian authorities have announced a public holiday in Tehran on July 6 to help residents travel more easily as the country prepares for a series of nationwide mourning ceremonies over the coming days.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Thursday will be observed as a national day of mourning. Memorial events are scheduled to take place in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad between July 4 and July 8, with thousands of people expected to participate.
Officials said the largest gathering will be held in Mashhad on July 8, where a massive crowd of mourners is expected to attend the final ceremony. In addition to the events inside Iran, commemorative gatherings are also planned in Baghdad, Kadhimayn, Karbala, and Najaf, where religious scholars, public figures and members of the public are expected to pay their respects.
Preparations for the ceremonies are continuing across the country, with authorities making special arrangements to manage the expected influx of visitors. Security measures and traffic management plans are also being put in place to ensure the events proceed smoothly.
According to Iranian authorities, the nationwide ceremonies are being held in memory of the country’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who was reportedly assassinated in February during coordinated Israeli airstrikes targeting senior political and military figures in Tehran. Iranian state media officially confirmed his death on March 1, marking the end of his 37-year leadership of the Islamic Republic.
His death had a profound impact on Iran, leading to nationwide mourning, political uncertainty and increased tensions across the region. Due to security concerns and the ongoing conflict, funeral arrangements were postponed for several months before officials announced a schedule of memorial events across multiple cities.
The ceremonies will conclude with the burial of Ayatollah Khamenei at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, one of Iran’s holiest religious sites. Authorities expect millions of mourners from across Iran and neighboring countries to attend the final events, making them among the largest public gatherings in recent years.
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