Iran begins Khamenei funeral in Tehran amid war fears and tight security

Tehran,UPDATED: Jul 4, 2026 09:46 IST

Iran began a dayslong funeral on Saturday for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the age of 86 in an Israeli airstrike at the start of the war on February 28. His body was to be placed on display at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran as mourning ceremonies started in the capital.

The funeral opened amid a large public turnout and heavy security measures, with authorities shutting streets, airspace and much of daily life in Tehran. Iran's government said it expected millions to take part in scenes recalling the burial of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, even as tensions remained high over the war and the possibility of further attacks.

Early on Saturday, mourners dressed in black walked through Tehran's streets, which had been cleared of vehicle traffic, to reach the Grand Mosalla. Some carried banners and flags, while billboards across the city showed Khamenei's image. Outside, groups of men beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite funerals. "I am here to say goodbye to my beloved leader Ali Khamenei," said a weeping Hananeh Mousavi, 27, who attended the funeral with her mother. "I never expected to see such a day. I wish I had died before this tragedy."

An outdoor stage set up at the Grand Mosalla resembled the one from which Khamenei once delivered speeches at a husseiniyah in his compound in downtown Tehran. That site was destroyed in the Israeli airstrike that killed Khamenei and some of his family at the start of the war. "We attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion," said Ali Kazemi, who had travelled from Tabriz, about 530 kilometres from Tehran.

Iran chose July 4, the 250th anniversary of the creation of the United States, to begin the funeral. While authorities did not acknowledge the timing, crowds at the ceremony in Tehran chanted, "Death to America!" At the same time, US President Donald Trump said in a speech in South Dakota, in front of Mount Rushmore: "We knocked the hell out of Iran. They want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral." Khamenei's body will now be taken to cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq as the mourning continues.

It remains unclear whether Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, will attend his father's funeral. The late leader had appeared at Khomeini's funeral in 1989, visibly weeping, as he began the role he would hold for decades. Israel's repeated threats to kill Mojtaba Khamenei prompted a warning on Thursday from Iran's joint military command to Israel and the US "to avoid any miscalculation" in the coming days. As ceremonies continue, the funeral has drawn large crowds, official preparations across Tehran and renewed attention on the tensions surrounding Iran's leadership.

With PTI Inputs

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