Tehran: Iran has postponed the state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes last week, according to reports in Iranian state media.
Iran said that the decision was taken “in anticipation of unprecedented turnout,” state television reported.
“The farewell ceremony for the martyred Imam has been postponed. The new date will be announced later,” Iranian television announced.
The three-day state funeral for Khamenei was scheduled to begin on Wednesday evening. The new date has not been announced yet.
Khamenei was killed in the US-Israeli strikes on Saturday. The strikes targeted his office in Tehran when he was attending a high-profile meeting.
Along with Khamenei, seven members of the top Iranian security leadership who had gathered at several locations in Tehran and about a dozen members of his family, including a daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were also killed in near-simultaneous strikes.
His death prompted Iran to launch retaliatory strikes on US and Israeli targets. Tehran hit US bases in several Gulf nations, killing at least six American soldiers and sparking a wider Middle East conflict.
Iran also claimed to have shot down three US warplanes in Kuwait but the US military said they were hit in “friendly fire”.
Iran also struck several targets in Israel, killing at least nine people and wounding dozens.
However, Iran has suffered extensive damage as US and Israeli strikes targeted top political and military leaders and destroyed key sites, including a nuclear facility.
A US and Israeli strike on an Iranian school building also killed over 150 people, mostly children, but both the countries have refused to acknowledge carrying out the attack.