RismadarVoice Reporters, June 13, 2026
Iran has announced that funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will begin on July 4 in Tehran, more than four months after his death during the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
According to state media, the ceremonies will continue with commemorative events in the holy city of Qom on July 7 before concluding with his burial in Mashhad, his hometown and one of Iran’s most significant religious centres, on July 9.
Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic for 36 years, was killed on February 28 during the opening phase of Israeli and U.S. airstrikes against Iran and was 86 years old at the time of his death.
The lengthy delay in funeral arrangements has been attributed to the ongoing war. While Islamic tradition generally calls for burial to take place as soon as possible after death, exceptions may be made under extraordinary circumstances, including periods of armed conflict.
During his decades in power, Khamenei shaped Iran into a major regional force and maintained a strongly anti-Western foreign policy. His government expanded Tehran’s influence across the Middle East through allied groups while also taking a firm approach toward domestic dissent.
Throughout his leadership, Khamenei remained a vocal critic of the United States, even as successive American administrations sought diplomatic solutions to long-standing disputes over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The airstrike that claimed his life reportedly destroyed much of his central Tehran residence. Following his death, leadership passed to his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Reports indicate that Mojtaba was injured in the same attack and lost his wife during the strike. He has not made a public appearance since the conflict began.
