The funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are set to begin on July 4 in Tehran. According to Iranian state media, the rites will conclude on July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad. Khamenei, aged 86, was killed during the first day of an airstrike carried out by Israel and the United States on February 28. He had led the Islamic Republic of Iran for 36 years.
State media have also reported that a special religious ceremony will be held on July 7 in Qom, a sacred city located south of Tehran. Although Islamic law generally mandates burial within 24 hours, exceptions are allowed under extraordinary circumstances such as wartime. During his tenure, Khamenei established Iran as a formidable anti-American power.
He expanded Iran’s military influence across the Middle East by supporting militant groups like Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Domestically, he ruthlessly suppressed various uprisings. Khamenei was known for his harsh criticism of the United States. Meanwhile, U.S. administrations have repeatedly attempted but failed to resolve disputes over Iran’s nuclear program.
The airstrike that killed Khamenei also completely destroyed his primary official residence in central Tehran. His 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured in the attack and lost his wife. Mojtaba has now been named Iran’s new Supreme Leader and successor to his father. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Saturday a significant political development, stating that Iran and the United States, after more than three months of conflict, have agreed on a framework for a peace treaty.
