As Iran readies for funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on July 9,scrutiny mounts over more than four-month delay since his death. Islamic customs stress quick burials,sparking questions about how Khamenei's body has been preserved.
Expecting massive crowds, authorities have ramped up security, deploying Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militia to maintain order. Millions are expected to attend .
Experts worry about condition of Khamenei's remains, suspecting refrigeration instead of chemical preservation,which Islam typically avoids. Dr. Mohammed Omar, counterterrorism expert, said while burial delays are frowned upon,exceptions happen for figures like Khamenei. Iran's forensic facilities can keep bodies long time,so this isn't so unusual.
Khamenei's death on February 28,after U.S. military strike, closes his 36-year rule. Analysts hint his body might not be fit for public viewing, given how he died. "A regime that insists on showing an intact body, shifts burial plans,and admits burial delay,seems more about image than honoring Khamenei," Omar said .
Ceremony is both farewell and unity rally, officials using motto "We Must Avenge" to gather support . Yaqoub Soleimani of Martyrs Foundation called it a "national epic," expecting one million to attend.
Public viewings slated for Saturday and Sunday in Tehran,with a procession on July 6. Predictions say 15 to 20 million might join,with events also in Qom, a key city for Shiite Islam.
But experts doubt these attendance figures. Dr. Omar said claims of 20 million mourners in Tehran and 35 million nationwide are likely inflated, more about power display than reality. "Tehran's working hard to show stability and authority after recent conflict," he noted.
Preparations are intense,with Basij militia handling logistics like converting highways to parking and managing districts for attendees,while IRGC handles crowd control. "This is a mobilization under guise of funeral," Omar pointed out, noting the dual role of security forces in suppressing dissent .
Few top officials from nearby Iraq expected, with limited attendance from other major countries. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reached out to India's Narendra Modi, who will send lower-level rep. Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili confirmed, but no big global leaders likely.
Low international turnout raises questions about Iran's global standing. Omar said for a regime claiming vast regional influence,lack of key figures at Khamenei's funeral shows its isolation. To U.S.,it's a reminder of Tehran's waning power, despite its bold claims…
