Months After His Assassination, Iran Prepares Week-Long Funeral For Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

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Iran is preparing for one of the most significant events in its modern history as the country begins a week-long state funeral for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in a joint United States-Israeli airstrike. The funeral ceremonies, scheduled to run from July 4 to July 9, are expected to draw millions of mourners across Iran and neighbouring Iraq, marking the official farewell to the man who led the Islamic Republic for more than three decades.

Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, during the opening wave of coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military and government facilities. Iranian state media confirmed his death on March 1, prompting the government to declare 40 days of national mourning. However, with the conflict continuing at the time and security concerns remaining high, authorities postponed his state funeral until conditions allowed for a large public ceremony.

Preparations are now underway for an elaborate series of ceremonies designed to honour the late leader while reinforcing the country’s political and religious unity. According to Iranian state media, Khamenei’s body will lie in state in Tehran before funeral processions move through the holy city of Qom, continue to Shi’ite religious sites in Iraq, and conclude with his burial in Mashhad, his hometown and one of Islam’s holiest cities, on July 9. Authorities have arranged additional transport, accommodation and public services to accommodate the expected influx of mourners.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989, succeeding the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. During his 36-year rule, he oversaw major developments in Iran’s domestic and foreign policies, strengthening the country’s regional influence while maintaining a firm stance against the United States and Israel. His leadership also coincided with decades of international sanctions, disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme and repeated anti-government protests at home.

Following Khamenei’s death, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new Supreme Leader. The leadership transition took place amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, with Iran vowing retaliation for the strikes that killed several senior military commanders alongside Khamenei.

The upcoming funeral is expected to serve not only as a farewell to one of Iran’s most influential leaders but also as a powerful political statement. Iranian officials hope the large public turnout will demonstrate continued support for the Islamic Republic following months of regional conflict and uncertainty. Security has been significantly tightened, with temporary airspace restrictions and additional military deployments put in place as authorities prepare for millions of participants.