As we reported, the very dead former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is finally going to get his funeral over four months after joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes took him and many of his cohorts out.
But what condition are his remains in? Is there anything left? And how has he been stored? According to Muslim tradition, bodies should be buried within 24 hours, but exceptions can be made in times of war. And since it’s an Ayatollah we’re talking about here, the regular rules don’t apply.
He’s probably been in the refrigerator, according to experts:
The lengthy delay to the funeral has raised questions about how Khamenei's remains have been preserved, as Islamic tradition, analysts say, generally calls for prompt burial and discourages chemical embalming.
"The mechanism is almost certainly refrigerated cold storage, not embalming, as Islam bars chemical embalming," counterterrorism expert Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.
"Shia law allows delayed burial and preservation by cold in exceptional cases, and a clerical exemption for a Supreme Leader is easy to get," he added.
"Iran's forensic morgues already hold bodies for months, so four months in freezing is not exotic. That is what 'religious and legal standards' cover," Mohammed said.
The other burning question: Is there even a corpse to mourn over?
"There may not be much of a body to present. Khamenei was killed by a bunker-penetration strike, and others killed with him were recovered weeks later and identified by DNA," Mohammed explained.
The repressive regime is keeping its cards close to the vest:
Rumors claiming that Ali Khamenei's body has been kept in cold storage since February have fueled intense speculation online. Reports suggest Iranian authorities fear that a massive public funeral could trigger security risks or political unrest, recalling past crowd disasters… pic.twitter.com/PX2imQjIfC
— The Daily Guardian (@DailyGuardian1) July 2, 2026
Rumors claiming that Ali Khamenei's body has been kept in cold storage since February have fueled intense speculation online. Reports suggest Iranian authorities fear that a massive public funeral could trigger security risks or political unrest, recalling past crowd disasters during high-profile funerals. While the claims continue to circulate, no official confirmation has been provided regarding Khamenei's death or the status of any burial plans.
MORE: At Last: Khamenei Funeral Finally Set for July, 4 Months After US Airstrike Death
I’m not big on crowds, so I'm more than happy to miss this event. Iranian authorities are predicting a human tsunami:
Iran says up to 20 million mourners could attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 2, 2026
The six-day ceremonies will span five cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq.
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/bArLEsMLOy pic.twitter.com/Aoawp890WU
Iran is using the moment to try to convince the world that their republic is still strong despite the pounding it's taken from the U.S.:
The schedule starts with public viewings Saturday and Sunday in Tehran. A funeral procession is scheduled for July 6, where local authorities estimate 15 million to 20 million people could attend.
Another procession is planned the following day in Qom, one of Shiite Islam's holiest cities.
"The numbers the regime is putting out — up to 20 million mourners in Tehran, 35 million nationwide, more than 90 countries represented, 14,000 journalists credentialed — are not logistics," Mohammed, of The George Washington University Program on Extremism, said.
"They are the message. Tehran is spending everything it has to project continuity and strength because, after the war, both are in question."
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be in charge of the massive security operation. But they’re doing more than providing safety — they’re also reminding the people that they’re in charge. "This is a mobilization dressed as a funeral,” Mohammed said. “The same apparatus organizing the grief this week is the apparatus that put down the January protests and denied funerals to the families of the people it killed then.”
RedState’s Ward Clark has a different reaction than the mourning Iranian leaders. “He's dead,” Clark wrote. “Good.”
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
Help us report the truth about the Trump administration's decisive actions to keep Americans safe and bring peace to the world. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member