Iran prepared thousands of graves before Khamenei’s funeral? Big security alert amidst crowd of lakhs

Tehran: Large-scale preparations have been made for security and disaster management amid the possibility of millions of people attending the funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A report in the German newspaper Die Welt claims that in view of the crowd, extreme heat and potential security threats, the administration has prepared an emergency plan based on the possibility of 1,500 to 3,000 possible deaths.

According to the report, the administration has kept thousands of new graves ready in Tehran’s Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery. A special emergency unit has also been formed to deal with missing people and any disaster. However, Iranian officials have not officially confirmed this claim.

Crowd of millions of people, heat and security are the biggest challenges

The report quoted a Tehran Municipal Corporation employee as saying that due to such a large crowd and intense heat, there is a danger of any kind of stampede or disaster. For this reason, the administration has made extensive preparations in advance.

Thousands of buses have been arranged in Tehran for the funeral. Many schools and mosques have been converted into temporary accommodation to accommodate people coming from outside, while makeshift kitchens have also been set up for food. Special restrictions have been imposed on traffic and movement in many areas of the capital.

Such accidents have happened before also

Tragedies have happened before during large funeral ceremonies in Iran. In 2020, more than 50 people were killed in a stampede during the funeral of Qasim Soleimani. In 1989, during the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, many people lost their lives in a stampede.

Security agencies on high alert

Apart from crowd management, security agencies are also alert about the possibility of any possible attack. According to reports, many senior leaders and military officers of Iran are attending the funeral. For this reason, the security arrangements in the capital Tehran have been increased to an unprecedented level.

The report also said that Iran faces threats from external attacks as well as from separatist organizations and extremist groups operating within the country. For this reason, strict monitoring is being maintained during the entire ceremony.

Note: Claims of thousands of graves being prepared and a possible death toll of 1,500–3,000 are based on a report by the German newspaper Die Welt. The Iranian government has not officially confirmed these claims.