Iran launches 6-day Khamenei funeral procession stretching from Tehran to Mashhad
Delayed for months by war, the ceremonies are being staged as a show of regime continuity and regional clout after the supreme leader’s killing
Iran is set to begin a six-day funeral procession for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 4, nearly four months after he was killed in an Israeli strike on the opening day of the U.S.-Israeli war in February.
The ceremonies are expected to run through July 9, with the procession passing through major cities in Iran and Iraq before Khamenei is laid to rest in Mashhad, his hometown and Iran’s holiest city.
The delayed funeral is being staged as a major national and religious event, intended to project stability and continuity after the death of the man who led the Islamic Republic for four decades. It is also expected to serve as a large-scale show of regime strength at a time of heightened internal and regional tension.
Iranian authorities are preparing extensive security measures for the procession, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps expected to oversee the operation. The Basij paramilitary force will reportedly handle crowd management, accommodation and logistics as mourners gather across several cities.
Public farewell ceremonies began at Tehran’s Mosalla prayer complex at around 6 a.m. local time, followed by a main procession through the capital. Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani has said turnout could reach 20 million people, potentially making it the largest public gathering in the city’s history.
The ceremonies also underscored Iran’s regional reach, with senior representatives from its network of terror proxies arriving to pay their respects. The Houthis were represented by Supreme Political Council member Mohammad Saleh al-Nuaimi, Hezbollah by political bureau deputy head Mahmoud Qomati, Hamas by political bureau figures Mousa Abu Marzouk and Osama Hamdan, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad by Secretary-General Ziyad Nakhaleh.
https://x.com/i/web/status/2073101512616694007
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
But the high-profile show of loyalty was accompanied by one notable absence: Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, long seen as a powerful behind-the-scenes figure and possible successor, was nowhere to be seen.