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The narrator
Funeral services for the late Iranian leader will be held between July 3-9 in several cities in Iran and Iraq before he is buried in Mashhad.
Published on 3 Jul 2026
Starting July 3, millions of mourners are expected to gather for seven days for the funeral and demonstrations of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and religious ceremonies organized in cities in Iran and Iraq.
The funeral, originally planned for March, was postponed as the US war with Israel and Iran continued.
Khamenei, 86, was killed along with several family members by a US-Israeli military operation in his compound on February 28, the first day of the war.
Who was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei he has led Iran since 1989, following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had led the Islamic revolution a decade earlier and become the country’s first supreme leader.
While Khomeini was the one who started the protests that ended the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty, Khamenei developed weapons and military equipment.
The funeral will also be the first major state ceremony under the leadership of his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the US-Israel conflict began four months ago.
Seven days of mourning
A seven-day funeral program will be held in Iran and Iraq, starting in Tehran on July 3 when world leaders, officials, religious leaders and scholars from around the world will pay their respects.
July 4th and 5th
On July 4 and 5, public funerals will begin in Tehran. Bokosi, together with several relatives, will sleep at Grand Mosalla to say goodbye to the people. The Grand Mosalla is one of the largest mosques in Iran and has served as a venue for major religious festivals and state events.
July 6th and 7th
On July 6 and 7, the funeral will pass through parts of Tehran before heading to Qom, about 120km (75 miles) south of the capital.
Qom is Iran’s center of Shia Islamic learning and one of the holiest cities in the country. It is home to the country’s largest seminary, where thousands of scholars study and teach, including the late Ali Khamenei.
July 8
Iranian and Iraqi officials say a formal ceremony will be held at Najaf International Airport on July 8, followed by public demonstrations in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.
The shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf is one of the Shia’s holiest sites, attracting millions of pilgrims every year. It is believed to be the tomb of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first imam in Shia Islam.
The shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas in Karbala are among the holiest places in Shia Islam. They mark the place where Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and Abbas were killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, an event that is at the heart of Shia culture and religious traditions.
July 9
The body will return to Iran for the final rites, which will be held on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad.
Mashhad is the holiest city in Iran. Imam Reza was the eighth Imam in Shia Islam.
The city also holds significance for Ali Khamenei, who was born in Mashhad in 1939 and spent most of his childhood there. He studied in religious seminaries in the city before continuing his studies in Qom.
Being buried next to one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam is considered a great honor and reflects Khamenei’s dual role as Iran’s supreme political leader and religious authority.
