Iran postpones Khamenei mourning ceremony amid Israeli threats

Iran has postponed a planned public mourning ceremony for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, days after he was killed alongside several family members in joint US-Israeli air strikes.

State-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported that the delay was due to logistical challenges, including requests from people across multiple provinces who wish to attend. Analysts meanwhile stated security risks were also a consideration.

The ceremony had initially been scheduled to begin at 10pm local time at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall and to continue over three days. Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Council, had earlier urged citizens to attend in large numbers to pay their respects.

Security concerns are however looming over the event. With millions expected to mourn, authorities face the risk of potential further attacks amid escalating hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States.

When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, died in 1989, an estimated 10 million people attended his funeral.

Khamenei, 86, had served as Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, succeeding Khomeini after the 1979 revolution. As supreme leader, he held ultimate authority over the armed forces, judiciary and key state institutions, while serving as the country’s highest religious authority.

Attention has now shifted to the question of succession. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a senior cleric and member of both the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts, said the process of selecting a new leader is nearing completion but acknowledged that the country remains in a “war situation.”

Under Iran’s constitution, the 88-member Assembly of Experts is responsible for appointing the supreme leader by simple majority vote. Candidates must be senior Islamic jurists with strong political judgment, administrative capability and religious credentials. Among those widely considered a leading contender is Khamenei’s second son, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister warned that any successor who continues policies hostile to Israel would face the threat of assassination.

In a statement posted online on Wednesday, he said any future Iranian leader pursuing the destruction of Israel or threatening the United States and regional allies would be considered a target.

US President Donald Trump also commented publicly on Iran’s future leadership, saying the “worst-case scenario” would be another figure opposed to US interests.

Regional analysts say Iran’s political system has long prepared for the possibility of Khamenei’s death, with institutional structures designed to ensure continuity of command during crises.

Even so, the coming days are expected to be pivotal, as the country navigates both mass public mourning and a high-stakes transition of power under the shadow of war.