Mourners from across Iran and around the world began paying their respects on Friday as the body of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lay in state in Tehran, marking the start of a six-day state funeral for the slain cleric whose death in a US-Israeli airstrike in February has plunged the Islamic Republic into national mourning.

The funeral ceremonies, which began under tight security and a declared ceasefire, are expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners to the capital alone, according to Iranian authorities. Processions will move through Qom and Iraq before culminating in burial in Mashhad on July 9. Foreign dignitaries from more than 100 delegations have arrived in Tehran, including presidents from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Armenia, Georgia, and Namibia, as well as high-level representatives from North and South Korea, Pakistan, Oman, India, Yemen, Lebanon, and the Palestinian factions. Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev and Taliban officials are also among those present, though Western nations are notably absent from the proceedings .

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was among the first to pay tribute at the funeral complex, where Khamenei’s body was displayed in a vast hall. The ceremonies, described by state media as a “demonstration of force,” are unfolding against a backdrop of heightened tensions, with Iranian authorities warning Washington and Jerusalem that any provocations during the mourning period would be met with a “harsh retaliation” .

While state television framed the events as a unifying national spectacle, reports from Tehran suggest a more complex picture. Some residents were seen cheering from behind closed windows as the funeral began, reflecting the mixed emotions that have accompanied Khamenei’s death. The funeral is also coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, adding symbolic weight to the proceedings .

The week-long mourning period is designed to showcase Iran’s resilience and defiance in the face of external threats, with authorities mobilizing transport, accommodation, and food supplies to ensure high turnout. Security measures have been tightened across the country, with the capital transformed into a “city-fortress” in anticipation of the crowds. The funeral processions will pass through key Shiite religious sites, including Karbala in Iraq, before returning to Mashhad for the final burial .

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Iran begins mourning for Khamenei under tight security Dignitaries from country and neighbouring states pay respects to slain supreme leader ahead of official funeral

financial times · about 8 hours ago

Mourners pay respects as Irans slain leader Ali Khamenei lies in state Iran begins seven-day state funeral for late ayatollah as some 100 foreign delegations arrive under a tense ceasefire

aljazeera · about 8 hours ago

Iran to host dozens of foreign leaders for Khameneis funeral, with Western nations absent Russias Medvedev, Pakistans prime minister and Taliban officials are among roughly 30 country delegations expected as Iran buries slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week.

euronews · about 8 hours ago

Mixed Feelings Among Iranians As Khameneis Body Lies In State The body of Irans late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was laid in state in Tehran on July 3 as authorities began a week of funeral processions for the slain cleric.

radio free europe · about 8 hours ago

⚡️🇮🇷 - The grand farewell ceremony for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameini begins today, and to continue for 4 more days. A large number of figures have arrived to Iran ahead of the ceremony, including Presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Kurdistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Georgia and Namibia, Delegations of over 100 countries, including North and South Korea, Pakistan, Oman, India, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Hezbollah, the PFLP, and the religious representatives of Palestine.

telegram_GeoPWatch · about 8 hours ago

⚡️🇵🇸🔴🇵🇸🇮🇷 - A delegation from the Hamas Political party, alongside representatives of the PIJ, including the Secretary-General Commander Ziad AlNakhalah arrived to Tehran to participate in the ceremony.

telegram_GeoPWatch · about 8 hours ago

BREAKING - Iranian president pays tribute at Khameneis remains: state TV bit.ly/4wo3m2f Follow @InsiderPaper for more news

telegram_Insider Paper · about 8 hours ago

Khamenei lies in state in Tehran as Iran begins week of funeral ceremonies The body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lay in state in a vast hall in Tehran on Friday as clerics, officials, foreign dignitaries and other mourners paid their respects to Irans late Supreme Leader, slain by U.S. and Israeli bombs. Iran is staging a week of mass funeral processions for Khamenei, whose 37-year reign was brought […]

cyprus mail · about 8 hours ago

Funeraliile ayatollahului Ali Khamenei au început la Teheran. Ceremoniile vor dura trei zile Liderii iranieni au început vineri să-i aducă omagii fostului lider suprem iranian Ali Khamenei, al cărui sicriu este expus în complexul religios din Teheran, unde sunt prevăzute funeralii naţionale, la patru luni de la moartea sa în urma unui atac israeliano-american, relatează AFP, preluată de News.ro. Potrivit imaginilor difuzate vineri de mass-media iraniene, Ahmad Vahidi, …

hotnews.ro · about 8 hours ago

Zes dagen massale rouw in twee landen: Iran maakt zich op voor begrafenis van hoogste leider

de morgen · about 8 hours ago

Funérailles dAli Khamenei : des millions dIraniens attendus à Téhéran pour lhommage au Guide suprême, qui commencera samedi La dépouille dAli Khamenei est arrivée vendredi sur le lieu de ses funérailles à Téhéran. Les autorités attendent entre 15 millions et 20 millions de participants rien que dans la capitale, devenue une ville-forteresse.

le monde · about 8 hours ago

„Den Verantwortlichen wurde gesagt, bis zu 3000 Tote seien okay – Die Katastrophe mit Ansage Auf der pompösen Beerdigung des Geistigen Führers Ali Chamenei will das iranische Regime seine Macht demonstrieren. Aber hinter den Kulissen zeigt sich, wer wirklich das Sagen hat. Die Behörden stellen bereits eine zynische Rechnung auf, berichtet unser Autor aus Teheran.

welt.de · about 8 hours ago

LIran met en scène les plus grandes funérailles du siècle pour Ali Khamenei Le cercueil de lancien guide suprême iranien, tué le 28 février par des frappes américano-israéliennes, est exposé depuis vendredi 3 juin à Téhéran avant dêtre transporté dans les hauts lieux du chiisme, jusquen Irak. Le régime présente cet hommage national comme une démonstration de force placée sous le signe de la vengeance.

courrier international · about 8 hours ago

Iran : le président Pezeshkian se recueille devant la dépouille de Khamenei Des dirigeants et responsables dune trentaine de pays, principalement voisins, sont également attendus. La présence du fils du défunt Guide suprême, qui lui a succédé, na quant à elle pas été confirmée.

liberation · about 8 hours ago

Iranul a început funeraliile istorice ale fostului lider suprem Ali Khamenei: șase zile de ceremonii, doliu național și 20 de milioane de participanți Iranul a început vineri funeraliile fostului lider suprem Ali Khamenei, ceremonii care se vor desfășura timp de șase zile și la care autoritățile estimează că vor participa între 12 și 20 de milioane de persoane.

adevarul · about 8 hours ago

Iran-US war latest: Tehran begins public mourning for Ayatollah Khamenei and claims funeral will draw 20 million Iran has warned the US and Israel that any attacks during the former supreme leaders funeral would be met with a harsh retaliation

independent · about 8 hours ago

What to know about the funeral and burial of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Mourners preparing for days-long funeral for late ayatollah, who was killed in February

independent · about 8 hours ago

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran with iron fist, will be buried Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dramatically remolded Iran during more than three decades as supreme leader, turning it into a regional powerhouse and bringing it increasingly into confrontation with Israel and the United States

abcnews · about 8 hours ago

What to know about the funeral of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Mourners in Iran are preparing for a dayslong funeral for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the war with the U.S. and Israel

abcnews · about 8 hours ago

Speech delivered by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at Camp Butmir

gdeltproject.org · about 8 hours ago

🟠 UPDATEAyatollah Khamenei killed in airstrike; dignitaries arrive for funeralIran begins a seven-day state funeral for Ayatollah Khamenei. Approximately 100 foreign delegations have arrived to pay respects under a tense ceasefire.📰 #Diplomacy #Military #Geopolitics #GeoWire

mastodon bot · about 8 hours ago

Ayatollah Khameneis funeral: millions of mourners and paper butterflies

bluesky_The Times · about 8 hours ago

🔊 Iran is mobilizing millions to mourn. But when Ayatollah Ali Khameneis death was announced, residents reported cheering from behind windows across Tehran. The funeral starts today. Listen to the Reuters World News podcast for more reut.rs/4v3R2mN

bluesky_Reuters · about 8 hours ago

⚡️🇷🇺🇮🇷 - The arrival of Russias Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev to Iran to participate in the farewell ceremony of Ali Khameini.

telegram_GeoPWatch · about 8 hours ago

Iran-Krieg: Teheran mobilisiert Millionen zur Trauerfeier für Chamenei Im Iran beginnen am Wochenende die mehrtägigen Feierlichkeiten für das getötete geistliche Oberhaupt des Landes. Um eine hohe Beteiligung zu gewährleisten, stellen die Behörden Transportmittel, Unterkünfte und Verpflegung bereit.

handelsblatt · about 8 hours ago

Body of late Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei brought to Tehran farewell Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran late Thursday as the body of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was brought to a farewell ceremony, kicking off a week-long series of funeral rites that will move through Qom and Iraq before concluding with his burial in Mashhad on July 9.

yenisafak · about 8 hours ago

Türkiyes VP Yilmaz meets Irans Pezeshkian in Tehran Türkiyes Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on Friday to attend funeral ceremonies for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying Ankara "deeply shares the pain" of the Iranian people and pledging to support regional stability efforts.

yenisafak · about 8 hours ago

Foreign leaders arrive in Tehran as Khamenei funeral begins Official delegations from several countries, including Pakistan, Iraq, Armenia, and Tajikistan, have arrived in Tehran for the funeral ceremonies of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike in February. The week-long funeral will span multiple cities in Iran and Iraq, culminating in burial in Mashhad.

yenisafak · about 8 hours ago

Chameneis Beerdigung in Iran: Machtdemonstration historischen Ausmaßes Am Samstag beginnt eine Beerdigungszeremonie für den getöteten Führer der Islamischen Republik, Ali Chamenei. Doch wird der neue Anführer aufkreuzen? mehr...

taz.de · about 8 hours ago

Iran | Khamenein hautajaisista tulossa valtava voimannäyttö Seremoniat jatkuvat useita päiviä. Niihin odotetaan osallistuvan jopa 20 miljoonaa ihmistä.

helsingin sanomat · about 8 hours ago