The ceremonies opened at Tehran's Grand Mosalla, where crowds carrying Iranian flags and red banners assembled to pay their final respects
TEHRAN: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 3rd, 2026) Iran on Saturday began official funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with thousands of mourners gathering in Tehran as the country launched six days of national tributes following his assassination during the recent Iran-US-Israel conflict.
State media reported that the ceremonies opened at Tehran's Grand Mosalla, where crowds carrying Iranian flags and red banners assembled to pay their final respects. Authorities expect between 15 and 20 million people to participate in funeral events in the capital over the next three days.
Khamenei, who led Iran from 1989 until his assassination at the age of 86 on February 28, was killed during the opening day of the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. His death marked the end of more than three decades of leadership in the Islamic Republic.
The funeral proceedings are expected to continue until Thursday. Following public tributes in Tehran, Khamenei's coffin will be taken in a procession through the capital before being moved to the holy city of Qom. It will then travel to Shia holy sites in Iraq before being returned to Mashhad, his hometown in northeastern Iran, for burial.
Security has been significantly tightened across Tehran, with major roads closed and strict arrangements put in place to manage the expected influx of mourners. Authorities have also issued public safety advisories aimed at preventing overcrowding and heat-related emergencies as temperatures are forecast to exceed 35 degrees Celsius during the ceremonies.
Senior Iranian political and military leaders attended the opening events, while international dignitaries also arrived to offer condolences. Among them were Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev, representing President Vladimir Putin.
The funeral ceremonies are also being closely watched for the possible public appearance of Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father following his death but has so far remained out of the public eye.
During the ceremony, mourners chanted slogans condemning the United States and Israel, while senior Iranian officials vowed that the country would remain united and warned that Iran was prepared to respond if hostilities resumed. The large-scale funeral is being viewed as both a national farewell to Khamenei and a demonstration of unity amid continuing regional tensions.
