Iran began public mourning for the slain ayatollah in February.

More than four months after the death of its former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attack launched by the US and Israel, Iran has begun public mourning and funeral ceremonies.

The body of the former ayatollah will be laid to rest in Tehran’s Grand Mossala area from Friday before being buried in his hometown of Mashhad.

Officials said the funeral could be attended by up to 20 million mourners from across Iran, AFP reported.

It comes as Iran and the United States observe a fragile cease-fire after signing an initial deal to end their conflict in June.

For three days, Khamenei’s body will remain in Greater Mossala, along with the remains of family members killed in an attack by the United States and Israel in February.

There will be an official funeral in Tehran on Saturday.

Authorities ordered public and private offices in Tehran to close from Saturday to Monday, while traffic restrictions closed much of the city center to private vehicles, AFP reported. The airspace over Tehran has been partially closed since Friday and will be completely closed on Monday.

After the ceremony in Tehran, the former supreme leader’s body will be flown to Iraq’s holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before being buried in Mashhad.

It is expected that the representatives of many countries, including the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, will be present at the ceremony.

After Khamenei became supreme leader, he was succeeded by his son Mojtaba, who was not seen in public.