Funeral of Late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei Scheduled for July 9 as Iran Prepares for Historic Ceremony
Multi-day ceremonies across five cities to culminate in burial at Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad
TEHRAN — June 24, 2026 — Iran has finalized arrangements for the state funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 that triggered the ongoing Middle East conflict. The multi-day ceremonies, postponed for nearly five months due to wartime conditions, will take place from July 4 to July 9 across five cities in Iran and Iraq, officials confirmed .
The funeral, expected to draw up to 20 million mourners, represents one of the largest public gatherings in Iran’s history and will culminate in Khamenei’s burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in his hometown of Mashhad, northeastern Iran .
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Funeral Schedule and Locations
According to the committee in charge of commemorating the late Leader, the official farewell ceremonies will begin on Saturday, July 4, at Tehran’s Grand Imam Khomeini Mosalla . The body will lie in state for two days, with public processions spanning multiple cities:
- July 4-5: Farewell ceremony in Tehran at the Grand Mosalla
- July 6: Main funeral procession in Tehran
- July 7: Funeral ceremonies and prayers in Qom, Iran’s holy city of Shiite scholarship
- July 8: Procession to Iraq for rites in Najaf and Karbala, following requests from Iraqi tribes and religious figures
- July 9: Burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad
Four family members who were killed alongside Khamenei in the February airstrike—Dr. Mesbah al-Hoda (son-in-law), Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini Khamenei (daughter), Zahra Haddad Adel, and Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani—will be escorted alongside the former leader’s body during processions .
Public Holiday and Security Arrangements
Iranian authorities have declared public holidays across the affected cities to accommodate the massive expected turnout. Tehran will observe holidays on July 4, 5, and 6, with additional closures in Qom and Mashhad . The IRGC, responsible for ceremony security, has been coordinating extensive logistical and safety measures .
Deputy mayor for social and cultural affairs in Tehran, Mohammad Amin Tavakkoli-Zadeh, has stated that authorities are preparing for between 15 million and 20 million participants in the capital alone . The scale is expected to surpass the 10 million mourners recorded at the 1989 funeral of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini .
International Attendance and Invitations
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has extended formal invitations to world leaders to attend the funeral ceremonies . Diplomatic sources have confirmed that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to attend .
Delegations are anticipated from multiple countries, including Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia, China, and various Central Asian nations . The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate the attendance of political figures, elites, and official delegations from around the world .
Context of the Postponement
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed on the first day of US-Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28, along with several senior military commanders and family members . He had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, succeeding the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini .
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Funeral arrangements were initially planned for March but were repeatedly postponed due to the ongoing war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance . Organizers cited the need to prioritize public health, security, and safety under wartime conditions . While Islamic law typically requires burial within a day of death, exceptions are permitted during war .
His son, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader on March 8. However, he was injured in the same attack and has not appeared in public since, leading to ongoing speculation about his health and whereabouts .
The funeral comes as a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US has largely held since April, though diplomatic efforts to finalize a permanent peace agreement have yet to succeed .
SOURCES / INPUTS
AhlulBayt News Agency: Funeral for Martyred Leader Ayatollah Khamenei to Be Held in Najaf, Karbala
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/245530/Iran-to-hold-6-day-funeral-for-martyred-Leader-across-country
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