Video: watson/nina bürge
Jul 4, 2026, 7:48 amJul 4, 2026, 11:28
Arne Bänsch / dpa
More than four months after his killing, public funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have begun in Iran under heavy security precautions. Footage on state television showed coffins of the religious leader and several of his family members laid out behind display cases in the Mosalla Grand Mosque. Scores of supporters had been flocking to the venue since dusk.
Iranians at the memorial ceremony for Khamenei.Image: keystone
The body initially remains in Tehran for three days. Mourning ceremonies are then planned in the pilgrim city of Qom, the center of the Shiite clergy in Iran, and the neighboring country of Iraq. He will be buried in the Imam Reza shrine in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday.
Video: watson/nina bürge
Iran’s leadership wants to demonstrate political unity
For Khamenei’s supporters and the Iranian leadership, national mourning is both a farewell and a demonstration of political unity. Banners commemorating the “martyr” Khamenei dominate the cityscape of the metropolis of Tehran on these days. For the head of state, the major event offers the opportunity to demonstrate unity and the ability to act. For weeks, the government has been emphasizing that it has survived the war against the militarily far superior USA and Israel.
A woman with a picture of Khamenei.Image: keystone
Khamenei was killed on February 28 at the age of 86 in an Israeli airstrike on his official residence in the Iranian capital. The USA and Israel then waged war against Iran for more than five weeks until representatives from Washington and Tehran agreed on a ceasefire in early April. The future of a possible agreement between the USA and Iran that is intended to permanently resolve the conflict remains uncertain.
Tightened security precautions at funeral ceremonies
The authorities are preparing for a mass influx of several million supporters. For security reasons, Iran plans to close its airspace for several days from Monday. Tens of thousands of police and soldiers are on duty. Many streets in Tehran were closed on Saturday morning.
A sea of Iranian flags in Tehran.Image: keystone
With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, thousands of supporters flocked to the venue. “I came to say goodbye to our leader,” said a 33-year-old. “We demand blood revenge and we want retribution,” she said. Sadegh Bahrami, a fruit farmer from Lorestan province, also made a twelve-hour journey. “We came out of love for our leader, to say goodbye to him one last time.”
However, government critics and many people in Iran, who took to the streets at the beginning of the year against the authoritarian course of the leadership and the massive economic crisis, view the celebrations with indifference and rejection. Thousands of demonstrators were killed in protests in mid-January. “Why should I take part?” asked Amir (30). Khamenei only thought about maintaining his power, he said.
Generals appear in public for the first time since the beginning of the war
With a view to the war between the USA and Israel, Iran’s armed forces warned on Friday of a new military escalation around national mourning. «Any miscalculation will be met with a decisive and even harsher response than ever before. A response that will forever be recorded in its history of shame,” said a statement from the Revolutionary Guards carried by Iranian media.
The warning is also likely to be related to fears that high-ranking political and military representatives could become the target of attacks. Participation in the funeral ceremonies is considered a mandatory event for the head of state. Several generals appeared publicly at the ceremonies for the first time since the start of the war against Iran, including the new commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, Ahmad Wahidi, and the commander of the air force, Majid Mousavi.
Trump: “They can’t wait to come to an agreement”
Representatives from Washington and Tehran agreed on a framework agreement in mid-June that should pave the way for a permanent end to the war. Disputes continue, among other things, over Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran’s support for militias in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Strait of Hormuz. The US is demanding that the strait, which is important for global energy trade, be reopened to shipping and that no fees be charged.
It is still unclear when the next round of negotiations between the USA and Iran will take place. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US had given Iran “a week off” because of the funeral. «They can hardly wait to come to an agreement. “They definitely want to come to an agreement,” said Trump on the occasion of Independence Day in front of the Mount Rushmore presidential monument, as CNN reported.
Power in Iran reorganized after Khamenei’s death
After Khamenei’s death, the power structure in Iran also changed. As supreme leader, he had the final say on all important issues. The government and president were subordinate to him. The Shiite Ayatollah was also the supreme religious authority of the Islamic Republic. Under his leadership, the Revolutionary Guards became the country’s leading military force and expanded their influence in the region. In the meantime, representatives of the powerful Guards in particular have risen to important political positions.
Khamenei’s son Moschtaba was appointed as the new head of state a week after his father’s death in early March, but has not made any public appearances since then. This sparked speculation about his health. There is talk of serious injuries. State television described him as a “disabled war veteran” but gave no further details. It is also unclear whether he will appear at the funeral in Mashhad.
His father shaped the Islamic Republic for almost four decades. Under his leadership, Iran rose to become an influential regional power, although its influence has weakened significantly in recent years. Internally he ruled with absolute severity. Public criticism of him was not tolerated. “Death to the dictator,” demonstrators shouted during the latest waves of protests. (dab/sda/dpa)