Iran is preparing for a week-long farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in February during Israeli-U.S. air raids. His state funeral and burial will begin on 4 July amid continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The funeral, postponed for four months because of wartime conditions during the 40-day conflict, will be held across several cities, including the capital Tehran and the religious centres of Qom and Mashhad, where Ayatollah Khamenei will be laid to rest.
According to officials overseeing the funeral processions, memorial ceremonies will also be held in neighbouring Iraq, home to a Shia Muslim-majority population, reflecting Ayatollah Khamenei’s role as both a political leader and senior religious cleric.
The government has announced a nationwide public holiday on 6 July, in addition to two days of public holidays in Tehran and two further holidays in the provinces of Qom and Razavi Khorasan, which will host funeral events.
Millions of mourners are expected to attend ceremonies across the country. Restrictions on domestic and international flights have also been announced during the period, reportedly for logistical and security reasons.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led post-revolutionary Iran for nearly four decades and shaped the Islamic Republic’s domestic and foreign policies longer than any other political figure of his generation.
His burial is being portrayed as both a tribute to his legacy and a demonstration of post-war resilience and continuity under the leadership of his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
As preparations for the funeral dominate headlines in Iran, diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington are continuing in an attempt to preserve the ceasefire and pave the way for a broader peace agreement within a 60-day timeframe.
High-level talks mediated in Switzerland over the weekend, followed by expert-level discussions earlier this week, focused on U.S. sanctions relief and maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran and the U.S. are seeking to strengthen regional support through a series of high-level diplomatic visits.
Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited Oman, followed by President Masoud Pezeshkian’s state visit to neighbouring Pakistan.
Both Pakistan and Oman recently helped mediate the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the U.S., while Oman has long facilitated contacts and message exchanges between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who remained notably silent in the lead-up to the signing of the ceasefire agreement, is touring the Gulf region, with visits to Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Despite early post-truce statements suggesting progress, significant differences remain between Iran and the U.S., with longstanding disputes continuing to cast doubt over the durability of the ceasefire.
Washington has introduced a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil and gas exports. However, disagreements persist over oversight of Iran’s civilian nuclear programme and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran is seeking exclusive control over its unfrozen assets and maintains a ban on inspections of nuclear facilities bombed last June. It is also insisting on control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, the waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
According to local media, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit Iraq on Sunday.
The Iran-U.S. ceasefire memorandum and plans relating to the former leader’s funeral in Iraq are reportedly expected to top the agenda during talks in Baghdad.
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Wednesday marks the fifth day of the massive public farewell funeral processions of its former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli air strike in February.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
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