The funeral ceremonies for the supreme leader will pass through a series of locations — from Tehran to the holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad.
Mourners and leaders from around the world, including Pakistan, gathered at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla to pay tribute to Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on Iran in February 2026.
The funeral ceremonies will pass through a series of locations — from the seat of power in Tehran to the holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad — reflecting the religious, political and ideological pillars of the Islamic republic.
His funeral, initially delayed at the height of the Middle East war, is taking place as Iran and the US observe a fragile ceasefire following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding to halt the conflict.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir offering prayers during the state funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. — AFPPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif writing in the condolence book during the state funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. — AFPIranians walk past a billboard bearing a picture of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFPThis photo shows a general view of a statue of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s hand installed at the Enghelab Square, ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFPMotorists drive past a billboard bearing a picture of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei, ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFPMourners carry the coffin of Zahra Haddad Adel, wife of Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, during her funeral in Tehran. — AFPMen ride a scooter past a billboard featuring the images of the late founder of the Islamic Revolution supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L), Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei (C) and his son, the current supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, along the street in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFPMourners carry the coffin of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFPWomen take pictures in front of the Grand Mosalla in Tehran on July 3, 2026, ahead of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral. — AFPThe Grand Mosalla is pictured in Tehran on July 3, 2026, ahead of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral. — AFPThis handout photograph provided by the Iranian supreme leader office (Khamenei.IR) shows the chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Ahmad Vahidi (C) paying respect at the coffin of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei during a ceremony ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. — AFP
