According to senior security assessments, the delay stems from directives by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei—now acting as the new Supreme Leader—and decisions by the Revolutionary Guards leadership. Ongoing tensions in negotiations between Iran and the US in Islamabad, combined with fears of widespread public unrest, have reportedly led the regime to freeze major public events—especially those that could trigger instability.

Before his death, Khamenei was viewed by many in Iran as a divine representative and a religious figure tied to the coming of the Shiite messiah, the Mahdi. Precisely for that reason, the postponement of his burial may reveal more than any official statement about the regime’s true condition.

In Islamic tradition, swift burial is a fundamental principle. Deviating from it—especially for the most powerful figure in the country—is highly unusual. It suggests the system has not yet fully processed the event, or more accurately, has not decided how to manage its consequences.