Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah's Funeral In Iran Tomorrow? Khamenei’s Rare Friday Prayer Call Sparks Buzz

As Hezbollah reels from its chief Hassan Nasrallah’s killing in his deep bunker in a Beirut command HQ, shocked at how successfully Israel penetrated the group, while fighting a possible Israeli ground invasion in the southern border, remains fearful of hosting a funeral.

Israeli news media outlets like state-run broadcaster Kan said Nasrallah’s funeral will be held on Friday but the event remains shrouded in secrecy.

The Israeli offensive and fear of more attacks on Hezbollah have also prevented the Iranian-backed group from organising a nationwide funeral on a scale reflecting Nasrallah’s religious and leadership status, officials from the militant group had told news agency Reuters.

“No one can authorize a funeral in these circumstances,” one Hezbollah source said, lamenting the situation in which officials and religious leaders could not come forward to properly honor the late leader.

Several commanders killed last week were buried discreetly on Monday, with plans for a proper religious ceremony when the conflict ends.

Hezbollah is mulling the option of securing a religious decree to bury Nasrallah temporarily and hold an official funeral when the situation permits, the four Lebanese sources said.

Speculation also continues over where Nasrallah will be buried, with conflicting reports suggesting either Lebanon or Iraq as his final resting place, according to an article released on Abu Dhabi-based The National.

Iraqi officials and local media have indicated that Nasrallah may be buried at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, south of Baghdad, as he was an important figure within the Shiite community.

Abdul Amir Al Teiban, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, posted on X that Nasrallah would be buried “next to Imam Hussein, in Karbala.”

However, in Tehran, a message from the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei ahead of Friday has led to speculations of symbolic burial.

Tehran’s metro and bus companies will provide free transportation for attendees of this week’s Friday prayer ceremony, which will be led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This marks the first time in nearly five years that Khamenei will lead the prayers, the Iran International.

The move holds significance as Khamenei leads the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance’, whose element Israel has been targeting since it began retaliating against the October 7 attack. The prayers also come at a time when Iran has also threatened Israel with more attacks after targeting it with more than 200 missiles aimed at its military facilities.