Tehran: Iran has postponed a farewell ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike. The ceremony was initially scheduled to begin on Wednesday evening, but organizers decided to delay it due to the expected unprecedented turnout of mourners, as reported by Iran's state broadcaster. The new date and time for the ceremony will be announced at a later time.

According to Anadolu Agency, the head of Tehran's Islamic Propagation Coordination Council initially stated that the proceedings would commence at 10:00 p.m. local time (1830GMT) at Imam Khomeini Mosalla, a grand prayer complex traditionally used for Friday congregational prayers. Organizers had planned for Khamenei's body to lie in state at the Mosalla, with doors open for three days to allow mourners to pay their respects. Special religious and cultural programs were set for each day, beginning Wednesday evening, followed by a funeral procession after the mourning period.

Conflicting reports have emerged about Khamenei's final resting place. Some media outlets suggest he might be laid to rest in Mashhad, his birthplace. Mashhad is also where his father, a prominent cleric, is buried at the revered shrine of Imam Reza, an esteemed pilgrimage site in Iran.

In addition to Ayatollah Khamenei, his family members, including his wife, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, will be buried on the same day. They were killed during the initial US-Israeli offensive on Saturday, which has resulted in nearly 900 casualties across Iran, including 165 schoolchildren in Minab.

Heightened security measures are expected for both the mourning ceremony and the funeral procession, as hostilities between the US-Israeli forces and Iran continue.