Iran Yet to Bury Khamenei Amid Security Fears, Mashhad Site Being Considered

Last Updated:April 19, 2026, 09:49 IST

Iran has delayed the burial of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei due to security concerns and fears of unrest, a report has claimed.

Iranian authorities have yet to finalise burial arrangements for assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with concerns over security risks and potential unrest complicating plans for a large public funeral, the New York Post has reported.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, an attack that triggered the ongoing war.

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According to the report, the longtime cleric remains unburied as officials weigh the risks associated with organising a mass gathering during a fragile truce.

The delay marks a significant departure from established precedent.

The last state funeral for a supreme leader, held in 1989 for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, drew millions of mourners to the streets of Tehran.2

However, similar scenes have not been witnessed in the weeks following Khamenei’s death, as the country reels from sustained airstrikes that eliminated several senior leaders of the regime.

Behnam Taleblu, a security expert at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, suggested that Tehran’s hesitation reflects concerns about stability and public response.

“It speaks volumes that the turnout for the funeral of the regime’s founding father in 1989 was such a massive affair, and yet one generation later his successor is still not able to have a funeral well over a month after his passing," Taleblu told The Post.

He further argued that the leadership is wary of public reaction and the possibility of unrest in the current environment.

“The Islamic Republic likes to talk a big game about owning the streets, but a 50-day internet blackout tells you all you need to know. The regime fears the consequences of the truth getting out," Taleblu continued.

MASHHAD EMERGES AS POTENTIAL BURIAL SITE

According to the report, Iranian officials are considering the northeastern city of Mashhad as a possible burial site.

Located near the Turkmenistan border and far from Israel, Mashhad is also Khamenei’s hometown, giving the location both symbolic and logistical importance.

Mashhad is home to the shrine of Imam Reza, one of Shi’ite Islam’s holiest sites, built in the ninth century and visited by millions of pilgrims each year.

The presence of heavy security around the shrine is viewed as a factor that could help safeguard the grave of the former leader.

Initial plans had reportedly included a three-day state funeral beginning March 4.

However, the ceremony did not take place as the country faced large-scale Israeli and US bombing campaigns, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, cited in the report.

Authorities had previously said the delay was due to expectations of an “unprecedented turnout," Gulf News reported, citing Iranian state media.

As of now, no confirmed date has been announced for the funeral.

The uncertainty comes as the war remains in a tenuous pause, with a temporary truce between the United States and Iran signed on April 8 and set to expire soon.

MOJTABA KHAMENEI RECOVERING FROM SERIOUS INJURIES

Separately, Reuters has reported that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is recovering from severe injuries sustained in the same airstrike that killed his father.

According to three sources close to his inner circle, the 56-year-old leader suffered major facial injuries and significant damage to one or both legs.

Despite the severity of his wounds, he is said to be mentally alert and actively participating in decision-making through audio conferencing.

Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of public view since the February 28 strike and his appointment as supreme leader on March 8.

No photographs, videos or audio recordings of him have been released since the attack.

A US intelligence source cited by Reuters said Khamenei was believed to have lost a leg, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 13 that the leader was “wounded and likely disfigured."

Sources close to Mojtaba Khamenei’s circle told Reuters that images of the new supreme leader may be released within one or two months, and a public appearance could follow depending on both his recovery and the security environment.

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