Ali Khamenei funeral set for July 4-9 in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad
Synopsis
Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February — will receive a six-day state funeral spanning Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad from 4-9 July, culminating in burial at the holy shrine of Imam Reza. It is the first time in the Islamic Republic's 46-year history that a supreme leader has been killed in a foreign military strike.
Key Takeaways
Ali Khamenei's funeral is scheduled from 4-9 July across Tehran , Qom , and Mashhad .
Farewell ceremonies begin at Imam Khomeini's Mosalla in Tehran on 4-5 July , with processions in Tehran and Qom on 6-7 July .
The final ceremony on 9 July in Mashhad will include burial at the shrine of Imam Reza .
Khamenei, 86 , was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February , ending 36 years of rule.
Four relatives , including his daughter, grandchild, and son-in-law, were also killed in the strikes, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei , was named Iran's new supreme leader in early March .
The funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February, is scheduled to begin on 4 July in Tehran, according to Iranian media reports. The multi-city commemoration will span six days across three Iranian cities, marking the final rites for the cleric who led the Islamic Republic for 36 years.
Funeral Schedule and Ceremonies
According to a statement released by the official headquarters overseeing Khamenei's commemoration, farewell ceremonies will be held at Imam Khomeini's Mosalla prayer hall in Tehran on 4-5 July. Funeral processions in Tehran and the central city of Qom are planned for 6-7 July.
The final ceremony is scheduled for 9 July in the northeastern city of Mashhad, where Khamenei will be laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Reza — the eighth Imam of Shiite Muslims — on the same day.
The Airstrike That Killed Khamenei
Khamenei, 86, was killed in what Iranian and international reports described as a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February, ending his 36-year grip on the Iranian state. US President Donald Trump announced the killing, stating on his Truth Social platform: 'He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.'
According to Iran's Fars News Agency, citing sources, four relatives of Khamenei — including his daughter, grandchild, and son-in-law — were also killed in the strikes.
A New Supreme Leader and Regional Fallout
Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was selected as Iran's new supreme leader in early March, according to reports. The airstrike was widely described as an inflection point in Iran's 46-year Shia-theocratic rule, with Tehran's retaliatory actions reportedly triggering a wider conflagration across parts of the Middle East.
Notably, this marks the first time in the Islamic Republic's history that a supreme leader has been killed in a foreign military strike — a development with far-reaching consequences for regional geopolitics and Iran's internal power structure.
What Comes Next
With the funeral proceedings set to conclude on 9 July in Mashhad, attention will shift to how the new leadership under Mojtaba Khamenei consolidates authority amid an ongoing regional crisis. Analysts are closely watching whether the transition triggers internal power struggles within Iran's clerical and military establishments.
Point of View
Three cities, culminating at one of Shia Islam's holiest shrines — is as much political theatre as it is mourning. The new leadership under Mojtaba Khamenei needs the ceremony to project continuity and legitimacy at a moment of acute vulnerability. What mainstream coverage underplays is the internal fracture risk: Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the clerical establishment do not always move in lockstep, and a dynastic succession — father to son — sits uneasily within a system that has always framed itself as a meritocratic theocracy. The funeral is the easy part; the consolidation of power is not.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Ali Khamenei's funeral?
The funeral spans 4-9 July across three Iranian cities. Farewell ceremonies are at Imam Khomeini's Mosalla in Tehran on 4-5 July, processions in Tehran and Qom on 6-7 July, and the final ceremony and burial in Mashhad on 9 July.
How was Ali Khamenei killed?
Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February. US President Donald Trump announced the killing, describing it as the result of close intelligence and tracking coordination with Israel.
Who is Iran's new supreme leader after Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ali Khamenei, was selected as Iran's new supreme leader in early March, shortly after his father's death.
Were any of Khamenei's family members also killed?
Yes. According to Iran's Fars News Agency, four relatives of Khamenei — including his daughter, grandchild, and son-in-law — were also killed in the US-Israeli strikes.
Where will Khamenei be buried?
Khamenei will be buried at the holy shrine of Imam Reza — the eighth Imam of Shiite Muslims — in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad on 9 July.
