Iran announces date for Khamenei’s funeral

The funeral and burial of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will begin in the capital Tehran on July 4, Reuters reported on Saturday (June 13), citing state media. The report said that after several stages of state and religious ceremonies, he will be buried on July 9 in the holy city of Mashhad in the northeast of the country, which is Khamenei’s birthplace.
The 86-year-old top cleric was killed on the first day of a joint US-Israeli airstrike in Iran on February 28. The attack destroyed his residential and administrative complex in central Tehran. State media said a special religious ceremony will be held in Khamenei’s memory on July 7 in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran.
According to Islamic law, the deceased must be buried as soon as possible (ideally within 24 hours). However, burials can be delayed in times of war or special circumstances.
Khamenei ruled Iran for 36 years after assuming office as Iran’s supreme leader in 1989. During his reign, Iran became a powerful regional power in the Middle East. Tehran extended its influence throughout the region through various allied groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. At the same time, anti-government movements and protests within the country were severely suppressed.
Khamenei was a strong critic of the United States throughout his political career. Under his leadership, Iran had a long-standing dispute with Washington over its nuclear program, but despite efforts by successive US administrations, the crisis has not been resolved permanently.
After Khamenei’s death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei took over as Iran’s new supreme leader. It is reported that Mojtaba was injured in an air strike and his wife was also killed. Meanwhile, Iran and the United States confirmed that the two countries had agreed to the framework of a peace agreement after more than three months of war.