Iran had first planned a three-day state funeral starting March 4. However, these plans were cancelled as the conflict intensified.
Officials later said they expected a very large number of people to attend, which made security planning more difficult. Since then, no new date has been announced.
Comparison with past funerals
The delay is even more noticeable when compared to the funeral of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
At that time, millions of people gathered in Tehran to pay their respects. In contrast, there have been no such large public scenes after Khamenei’s death.
Experts say the current situation in Iran is very different, with ongoing tensions and security fears.
Security fears behind delay
Officials are worried about several risks if a large funeral is held. These include:
- Possible airstrikes by Israel
- Risk of protests or counter-rallies
- General safety of large crowds
Security expert Behnam Taleblu from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Iran may not be strong enough right now to manage such a large event.
He said the government is “too afraid and too weak” to take the risk.