The funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commenced on 4 July in Tehran, more than four months after he was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on the first day of the war. The six-day event, spanning multiple cities in Iran and Iraq, is projected by Iranian authorities to draw up to 20 million participants, making it one of the largest public gatherings since the 1979 revolution. The delay was attributed by Tehran to the intensity of the conflict and security concerns, with the funeral now unfolding under a fragile ceasefire and ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

Iranian officials frame the funeral as a demonstration of national unity and defiance. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called for a massive turnout to make the “nation’s call for vengeance” heard worldwide, while military commanders vowed retaliation for the killing. Viewed from Washington, the event is a challenge: according to a report by Iran’s Tasnim news agency citing a senior source, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed all diplomatic missions to warn host countries that participation would be considered an “unfriendly act” with negative consequences for bilateral ties. The same report claims at least 13 countries withdrew or downgraded their presence under US pressure. European governments were not invited, with Iran’s foreign ministry stating that nations supporting the war were excluded.

Despite the reported US campaign, over 100 foreign delegations attended, including heads of state and senior officials from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, and Iraq. Russia sent former president Dmitry Medvedev, who met with President Masoud Pezeshkian and expressed confidence that Iran would “emerge victorious” over the US. China dispatched a vice-chairman of its National People’s Congress. Saudi Arabia, a traditional rival, sent a deputy foreign minister, a move noted by regional analysts as a signal of continued diplomatic engagement. Delegations from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Taliban government in Afghanistan also paid respects, underscoring Iran’s network of non-state allies.

The most closely watched question is whether Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader in March, will appear publicly. He has not been seen since his appointment, and Iranian officials have cited security threats from Israel as the reason for his absence. His non-appearance at his own wife’s funeral earlier in the week, reported by IranWire, has intensified speculation about his health and the extent of his injuries from the same strike that killed his father. The funeral thus serves as a stress test for the post-Khamenei power structure, with the Revolutionary Guards’ new commander, Ahmad Vahidi, making his first public appearance since the war began. The ceremonies are scheduled to conclude with burial in Mashhad on 9 July, while indirect talks with the US in Doha are expected to resume thereafter.