State funeral of Ali Khamenei
Planned funeral of the Iranian leader
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The state funeral of the second supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, is expected to take place throughout a three-day period in cities including Tehran, Qom and Mashhad, following his assassination on 28 February.[1] It was originally expected to take place in Tehran and Mashhad from 4 to 6 March 2026 but was postponed due to the Iran war.[2][3] It was announced later that the funeral ceremonies are scheduled for July 4–9, 2026, across Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, with authorities preparing for millions of regional participants while managing significant security and logistical concerns following a lengthy delay in the announcement.[4]
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- Grand Mosalla, Tehran (lying-in-state)
The Grand Mosalla of Tehran (pictured in 2025), where Khamenei's body was to lie in state | |
| Date | July 4–9, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Participants | Iranian officials and clerics, relatives and followers |
| Burial | Imam Reza shrine |
Background
Khamenei was assassinated at the onset of the 2026 Iran war on 28 February at 08:10 (IRST), at his residence in Tehran, Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting confirmed Khamenei's death at around 05:00 (IRST) the following day.[5][6][7] The government announced a 40-day mourning period and a week-long public holiday.[8] Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchild were also killed in the strikes.[9][10][6]
Khamenei was succeeded by his son Mojtaba Khamenei, following his election as Supreme Leader on 8 March 2026.[11]
Prelude
The public were expected to observe the body of Khamenei at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall at the Grand Mosalla of Tehran.[12] The Fars News Agency stated that Khamenei would be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in his hometown of Mashhad.[13] However, on 18 April, the Astan Quds Razavi foundation said that the burial location had not yet been decided.[14]
On 9 April, the fortieth-day anniversary of Khamenei's death was marked with processions and ceremonies in Iran.[15]
On 2 June, Iranian officials and state media announced that the funeral would take place over three days and would involve public ceremonies in several Iranian cities, including a 24-hour ceremony in Tehran. The funeral would be held on July 4th, corresponding to the 19th and 20th of Muharram and ending on July 9th, corresponding to the 24th of Muharram and the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Sajjad (AS), in the holy city of Mashhad, followed by burial at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) according to the Tasnim News.[16]
According to statements from Iran’s official commemorative committee and ISNA, the funeral and burial ceremonies for Seyyed Ali Khamenei are scheduled to include four members of his family reported to have been killed in the same attack. The individuals named are Dr. Mesbah al-Hoda Bagheri-Kani (son-in-law), Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini Khamenei (daughter), Zahra Haddad Adel (daughter-in-law), and Zahra Mohammad Golpayegani (granddaughter).[17][18]
In the days following Khamenei's death, claims circulated on social media alleging that his body had been temporarily buried at the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qom before being transferred to Tehran for the funeral ceremonies. Officials at the shrine denied the claim, stating that it was false.[19] On 30 June, Iman Attarzadeh, spokesperson for the funeral committee, said that Khamenei's body and the bodies of his family members had been kept under protection in accordance with religious and legal requirements, and that they had neither been buried nor placed in safekeeping.[20][21]
Funeral and burial dates
According to reports from Iranian state media, farewell ceremonies will be held in Tehran on July 3 and 4, followed by a procession in Qom on July 5, and a transfer of the body to Iraq on July 7, before returning to Iran for final rites and burial in Mashhad at the shrine of the eighth Shia imam, on July 8.[22][4] The funeral, originally scheduled for March, was postponed due to the war between Iran, the US and Israel.[23] The significant delay between his death and the announcement of these dates has fueled widespread speculation, though it is believed that extensive security concerns and the potential for attacks played a major role in the timing. Furthermore, authorities face the immense logistical challenge of managing such a large-scale event safely, particularly in light of past tragedies like the 2020 funeral of Qasem Soleimani, which resulted in a fatal crowd crush.[4]
Participants
Anticipating up to 35 million attendees, Iranian authorities are preparing for a funeral that could surpass the historic crowds of Ayatollah Khomeini's 1989 ceremonies. The event is expected to draw millions from across the region, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, with some Iraqi officials even suggesting a transfer of the body to Najaf or Karbala before the final burial.[22][24] Some reports further extended the expected participation to Shia communities in Bangladesh, India, and Yemen, describing the funeral as a broader transnational religious gathering with symbolic commemorations reported across parts of the wider Islamic world.[25] Even so, questions remain regarding whether the Islamic Republic’s new leader will attend the proceedings.[4]
International attendance
On 19 June 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan’s delegation will attend the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[26]
On 29 June, reports confirmed that Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita of India will attend the funeral ceremony in Iran.[27]
On 30 June, reports confirmed that Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili will attend the funeral ceremony in Iran, following confirmation from the Administration of the President of Georgia.[28][29]
On 30 June, Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, secretary of the National Funeral and Farewell Ceremony Committee, announced that an official ceremony for foreign dignitaries to pay their respects would be held in Tehran on 3 July. He stated that officials from more than 30 countries had requested to attend, while religious leaders and scholars representing more than 90 countries had also expressed their intention to participate.[30][31]
