Multi-City Funerary Route Spans Key Religious Centers
The massive commemoration marks the first major state event under his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has stayed out of public view since regional hostilities began. The late leader, who was 86, was killed alongside several family members in a joint US-Israeli air strike on his compound on February 28. The burial, originally slated for March, faced extensive delays as the conflict dragged into its fourth month.
Rites commence in Tehran on July 3 with an assembly of global dignitaries, followed by two days of public viewing at the massive Grand Mosalla prayer complex. By July 6, the procession will move 120 kilometers south to Qom, the nation's premier center of Shia Islamic scholarship, where thousands of scholars study and where Khamenei himself once trained.
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The final legs of the itinerary feature cross-border ceremonies, highlighting the deep geopolitical and religious ties between the neighboring nations. An official reception will be staged at Najaf International Airport on July 8, introducing public processions through the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to the revered shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein.
The late leader's body will return to northeastern Iran on July 9 for the final interment at the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. Born in Mashhad in 1939, Khamenei spent his formative years in the city, making his final resting place a reflection of both his personal history and his dual status as a political and religious titan.