Chaos on the Route to Behesht Zahra
Following prayers led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—who would later be appointed as Khomeini’s successor—it was initially planned that the body would be transferred to Behesht Zahra Cemetery, the massive burial ground located about 20 kilometers south of central Tehran. Behesht Zahra held great symbolic value; it was the final resting place for many of the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War.
A helicopter was designated to accompany the funeral procession, prepared to lift the coffin if the crowds became unmanageable. And indeed, they did. As the convoy began its journey, millions of people had already gathered along the road. Many had been there since dawn, some having walked for hours from nearby cities and towns just to be part of this historical farewell.
Despite heavy security and planning, the procession soon descended into chaos. The sheer size of the crowd made it impossible to maintain order. Mourners surged toward the coffin in a wave of emotional desperation—some trying to touch it, others weeping uncontrollably, chanting prayers and slogans, and many collapsing from exhaustion or emotion. The atmosphere was thick with grief, reverence, and revolutionary passion.