Tehran, Jul 02 (V7N) — Iranian authorities expect about 20 million people to attend the funeral and burial ceremony of the country's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, with an estimated 35 million people expected to participate in mourning events nationwide. Officials also said representatives from more than 90 countries and around 14,000 journalists are expected to attend the historic event.

If the projected attendance is realized, the funeral could surpass the estimated 12 million people who attended the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, widely regarded as one of the largest funerals in modern history.

Authorities have intensified security preparations across Iran ahead of Khamenei's burial, which has been scheduled for July 9. The government expects unprecedented crowds to gather in the capital and across the country to pay their final respects.

Khomeini's funeral on June 6, 1989, remains one of the most significant public gatherings in history. Millions of mourners flooded the streets of Tehran, overwhelming security arrangements and causing widespread chaos. The enormous crowd halted the funeral procession, forcing authorities to postpone the burial after several people were killed and thousands were injured in the crush.

According to Iranian state media, at least eight people lost their lives and approximately 11,000 others were injured during the incident. Security forces reportedly fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to restore order, while nearly two million mourners remained with Khomeini's body overnight before the burial resumed the following morning.

The Guinness World Records later recognized Khomeini's funeral as the largest funeral procession in history, estimating that approximately 12 million people—nearly one-sixth of Iran's population at the time—participated.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as Iran's Supreme Leader in 1989 and served as the country's highest religious and political authority for more than 36 years. He was killed in an attack on February 28, 2026.

Iran is now preparing for what could become the largest funeral gathering in history as the nation bids farewell to its longtime Supreme Leader.

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