Iran to Bury Ali Khamenei as US Intensifies Attacks
Iran is preparing to bury its late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his home city of Mashhad in the country’s north-east on Thursday evening (9 July) local time.
Khamenei’s funeral, as reported by AFP on Thursday (9 July 2026), brings to an end a series of massive ceremonies held over recent days in Tehran and other Iranian cities, as well as in Shia holy cities in Iraq. Millions of mourners attended the funeral ceremonies, which were also attended by foreign delegations from dozens of countries.
Just as the series of ceremonies entered its final day on Thursday (9 July), Iran once again became embroiled in exchanges of attacks with the United States.
Khamenei’s funeral, held four months after his death, is taking place as the United States intensifies its strikes on Iranian targets following the collapse of an already fragile ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump, who has announced that the US-Iran ceasefire has ended, warned of “far worse” attacks if Iran continues to strike ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Khamenei died on 28 February, the first day of the joint US and Israeli attacks that marked the start of the war.
Khamenei to Be Buried in His Birthplace
After a long procession through the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in neighbouring Iraq on Wednesday (8 July), Khamenei’s body was scheduled to arrive at its final resting place in the holy city of Mashhad.
Observers are closely watching for signs of Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public at all since being chosen to lead Iran. Mojtaba is reported to have been wounded in the same attack that killed his father.
The Governor of Mashhad, Hassan Hosseini, quoted by Iranian state television, estimated that “15 million people” would attend Khamenei’s funeral procession.
The funeral procession was originally scheduled to begin on Thursday morning (9 July) at 06:00 local time. However, local media, citing a statement from Khamenei’s funeral committee, reported that the procession would begin at 14:00 local time due to delays in the ceremonial proceedings in Iraq.
According to the official news agency IRNA, Khamenei will be buried on Thursday evening (9 July) in the Imam Reza Shrine complex, the most revered place of worship in Iran. Imam Reza is the only one of the twelve Shia imams buried in Iran.
The series of funeral ceremonies encompasses several locations reflecting the religious, political and ideological pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
His chief of staff, Mohammad Mohammadi-Golypayegani, previously said on Iranian state television that Khamenei himself had stipulated in his will that he wished to be buried in Mashhad.
Over the centuries, a number of prominent figures have been buried in the Imam Reza Shrine complex, including several former Shahs of Iran as well as former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Khamenei will be buried alongside his infant granddaughter, his son-in-law, his daughter, and Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, all of whom were killed in the US-Israeli attack on 28 February.