TEHRAN – Iran is making final preparations for the funeral of its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, with extensive security arrangements in place ahead of the ceremony in Tehran.

According to Iranian media, Khamenei’s body has been transferred to Imam Khomeini Hussainiya in southern Tehran.

Funeral prayers are scheduled to take place on Friday, after which the body will be taken to Qom, followed by Najaf and Karbala, before returning to Iran for burial in Mashhad.

Iranian authorities expect more than 10 million people to participate in the funeral procession. The ceremony is also expected to be attended by several heads of state, senior government officials, religious leaders and representatives from around 100 countries.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to travel to Iran with key members of the federal cabinet to attend the funeral.

The Iranian government has declared 6 July a nationwide public holiday to mark the funeral ceremonies. Government officials have also announced that 8 July will be observed as a national day of mourning.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters has warned that any military action by Israel or the United States during the funeral or related ceremonies would receive what it described as a “very strong” response. In its statement, the military headquarters urged potential adversaries to carefully consider the consequences of any action, adding that Iran’s armed forces are fully prepared to safeguard national security during the events.

Officials said heightened security measures have been implemented across the country to ensure the safe conduct of the funeral, as large crowds and international delegations are expected to attend.