Iran will begin state funeral rites for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 4, more than four months after he was killed in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war. The processions will move from Tehran to Qom, the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, and conclude with burial in Mashhad on July 9. Iranian authorities have announced temporary airspace restrictions over several cities, public holidays, and traffic closures, while the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ali Abdollahi, warned the United States and Israel against any “miscalculation” and threatened “harsh retaliation” for aggression during the mourning period.

Iranian state media quoted Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urging a massive turnout to “demand vengeance” and frame the funeral as a referendum on the Islamic Republic. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi separately stated that Tehran would deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat, following Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s comment that the current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death.” Organisers have not confirmed whether Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since his father’s death and was reportedly wounded in the same strike, will attend the ceremonies.

According to Iranian officials, representatives from more than 30 countries are expected, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a senior Chinese lawmaker, and a Russian envoy. India will be represented by its deputy foreign minister and the governor of Bihar, while Congress leader Salman Khurshid and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also received invitations. The funeral was repeatedly delayed due to the conflict and is now taking place under a temporary ceasefire and a preliminary US-Iran deal. Indirect talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, have been paused and are expected to resume after the burial.

Analysts cited by Reuters note that public support for the Islamic Republic has eroded, with some Tehran residents planning to leave the city during the events. Iranian authorities are deploying extensive security measures, including the possible use of helicopters for crowd control, to prevent a repeat of deadly crushes that occurred during the funerals of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 and Qasem Soleimani in 2020. The burial is scheduled for July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.