Iran begins six-day state funeral for Khamenei on Saturday

Iran is in final preparations for what authorities are calling the largest state funeral in the country's history, a six-day ceremony honoring former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The funeral, set to begin on Saturday, July 4, comes more than four months after Khamenei's death, with officials citing wartime security concerns for the delay.

A Multi-City Procession

The ceremonies will begin with Khamenei's body lying in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla prayer complex on July 4 and 5, followed by a major funeral procession through the capital on July 6. The events then move to the holy city of Qom on July 7 before continuing to Iraq's sacred Shia cities of Najaf and Karbala. Khamenei will be buried on July 9 at the Imam Reza shrine in his hometown of Mashhad, one of Shia Islam's holiest sites.middleeasteye+3

More than 30 countries have requested to send high-level delegations to the ceremonies, according to Reuters. However, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said European leaders would not have the "honor" of attending because they "did not stand on the right side of history" during the war.iranintl+1

Security and Logistics

Iranian authorities have announced heightened security measures including temporary airspace restrictions over Tehran and Mashhad during the ceremonies. The Basij Organization for Guilds said 50 million loaves of bread are being prepared nationwide, with 16 mobile bakeries deployed across Tehran to prevent shortages during the mass gatherings.iranintl

Some officials and state-linked media have suggested attendance could exceed 20 million over the six days, though those figures remain projections rather than independently verified estimates. Euronews reported that authorities estimate eight to ten million people will attend the burial alone.euronews+1

Questions Over Coerced Attendance

Reports from Iran International reveal a broad campaign of workplace directives and business closures in the days leading up to the funeral. According to messages sent to the outlet, businesses have been warned to close during the ceremonies or face penalties. One Tehran gym owner wrote that officials had instructed fitness centers to close from Saturday through Wednesday, while Tehran's Grand Bazaar was ordered shut until Thursday.iranintl+1

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son who was reportedly chosen as his successor, is unlikely to appear publicly at the funeral due to security concerns, according to a report citing an aide. Khamenei was killed alongside more than 40 senior military and political officials, including the IRGC commander and defense minister, in the strikes that Washington and Tel Aviv dubbed "Operation Epic Fury".iranintl+2