Iran to Hold Grand Funeral for Slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Published on 9 July 2026

Despite extreme heat and a call for retribution, Iranians have gathered in large numbers for the burial of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad.

Khamenei was killed by an Israeli airstrike in late February, coinciding with the opening day of the United States‑Israel conflict with Iran, marking the end of more than 34 years of his leadership.

Thousands of mourners flooded the streets of eastern Mashhad on Thursday.

The burial marks the concluding event of a six‑day funeral procession that has enabled citizens to pay their respects in Tehran, the religious centre of Qom, and in Iraq.

Observers are closely watching for any public appearance by Khamenei’s son and heir, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not yet appeared publicly and is reported to have been injured in the strike that killed his father.

Mashhad Governor Hassan Hosseini told state television that he expects up to 15 million people to attend Khamenei’s funeral.

With temperatures soaring to 35 °C (95 °F), water sprinklers were deployed to keep mourners cool.

The funeral was initially scheduled to begin at 6 am local time (02:30 GMT) on Thursday, but organizers later announced a postponement to 2 pm (10:30 GMT) after ceremonies in Iraq were delayed.

The official IRNA news agency reported that Khamenei will be interred on Thursday evening at the Shrine of Imam Reza, Iran’s most venerated shrine.

The funeral prayer will be conducted by Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani, a 101‑year‑old conservative cleric of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Khamenei will be laid to rest alongside his infant granddaughter, his son‑in‑law, his daughter, and Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife Zahra Haddad Adel, all of whom were killed in the February 28 US‑Israeli airstrikes.

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