What Happened When Iran Buried Its First Supreme Leader? A Funeral That Spiralled Out Of Control
What Happened When Iran Buried Its First Supreme Leader? A Funeral That Spiralled Out Of Control Published By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 12:58 IST
What Happened When Iran Buried Its First Supreme Leader? A Funeral That Spiralled Out Of Control Published By, Last Updated: July 06, 2026, 12:58 IST As Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies continue, here’s what happened in 1989 when Iran buried its first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. Rapid Read A huge crowd try to touch container covering Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb at Behesht Zahra cemetery in Tehran on June 07, 1989. (Image: AFP) As Iran bids farewell to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, one chapter from the country’s history has come back into focus — the only other time the Islamic Republic buried a Supreme Leader. That funeral, held in June 1989 for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, quickly spiralled into chaos. What was meant to be a solemn burial turned into one of the most extraordinary scenes in modern Iranian history, with millions of mourners overwhelming security forces, forcing authorities to postpone the burial and even airlift Khomeini’s body away from the cemetery before returning it the next day. Recognised by the Guinness World Records as the funeral attended by the largest percentage of a country’s population, the event remains one of the defining moments in post-revolution Iran. Khamenei’s Funeral Revives Memories Of 1989 Khamenei’s funeral reflected the symbolism that has long surrounded Iran’s political and religious establishment. His coffin, draped in the Iranian national flag and topped with his signature black turban, was carried alongside those of family members killed in recent Israeli strikes. One image that drew widespread attention was the tiny coffin of his 14-month-old granddaughter, Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani. Thousands of mourners filled the streets, beating their chests and weeping, while chants of “Death to Israel" and “Death to America" echoed through the crowds against the backdrop of the recent conflict with Israel. Yet despite the scale of Khamenei’s funeral, it remained far more controlled than the burial of Khomeini nearly four decades ago.
Iran Had Buried Only One Supreme Leader Before Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the cleric who led the 1979 Islamic Revolution and founded the Islamic Republic, died on June 3, 1989, at the age of 86. His funeral three days later drew millions of mourners to Tehran. According to Guinness World Records, an estimated 10.2 million people attended — roughly one-sixth of Iran’s population at the time. The crowds, many dressed in black, packed Tehran’s streets and the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, where Khomeini was to be buried alongside those killed during the Islamic Revolution and the eight-year Iran-Iraq War. As his body lay in state, mourners beat their heads and chests in a traditional Shiite expression of grief. According to Associated Press reports from the time, cries of “Farewell beloved imam!", “Oh Khomeini, why have you left us?" and “Allah Akbar!" rang out across the capital. Many scratched their faces until they bled, threw ashes over their clothes and kept an overnight vigil around Khomeini’s bier. Firefighters sprayed water over the crowds as temperatures climbed to around 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius). When The Funeral Spiralled Out Of Control Authorities soon realised they could no longer control the sheer size of the gathering. The hearse carrying Khomeini’s body became trapped in what Iran’s official news agency IRNA described as a sea of mourners. According to AP, the procession had covered barely half a mile even two hours after setting off. As Revolutionary Guards attempted to move the coffin through the crowd, grieving mourners surged forward in an effort to touch it. The crush became so intense that Khomeini’s wooden coffin was pulled apart. Parts of the white burial shroud were ripped away and, for a brief moment, the late leader’s body was exposed after tumbling from the casket. WION reported that his legs could be seen protruding from the shroud before security personnel managed to regain control.
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