The casket of slain Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s granddaughter, Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, is displayed alongside the caskets of Khamenei and different members of his household throughout a viewing ceremony forward of the dayslong funeral ceremonies on the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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Vahid Salemi/AP
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran ready Friday for the dayslong funeral of the late Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with banners throughout Tehran urging the general public to stand up in help of the Islamic Republic after the devastating struggle that killed the 86-year-old cleric.
The nation’s theocracy expects to see hundreds of thousands flood the streets of the capital starting Saturday in scenes harking back to the burial of the late Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
That might present a lift for Iran’s authorities, notably because it tries to leverage its maintain on the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the USA over a everlasting finish to the struggle, and as concern nonetheless lingers that Israel might assault but once more.
Regardless of that, a robust normal who leads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged publicly for the primary time in months for the funeral. Different prime authorities officers will even probably shall be readily available alongside overseas dignitaries in a present of power by Iran.
“As long as these people, who are chosen (by God), are on the field, we will definitely continue the same ‘no to humiliation’ policy that was founded by the Islamic Republic,” stated Mohammad Hossein Rezaei, a volunteer getting ready for the funeral Friday.
“We will continue our policy of pursuing independence, and decisions will be made inside the country, and the people will decide their own fate,” he stated.
Caskets displayed in Tehran
Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin sat at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla alongside members of the family killed within the Israeli airstrike that got here within the first moments of the struggle on Feb. 28.
The lifeless being honored embrace a son-in-law, his eldest daughter, a 14-month-old granddaughter and the spouse of Iran’s new Supreme Chief Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the earlier chief who stays in hiding after reportedly being wounded within the assault.
Non secular leaders and overseas dignitaries walked as much as Khamenei’s casket as a army band performed or a person sang prayers. Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, International Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, key leaders within the nation’s civilian authorities, all paid their respects.
Video revealed by Iranian state media confirmed an earlier mourning ceremony Thursday evening for Khamenei. The black-clad mourners, whom state media recognized as coming from households of those that misplaced family members within the 12-day struggle in 2025 and the current Iran struggle, threw scarves and different objects for attendants to brush in opposition to the coffin, a typical apply in Iran seen as a blessing.
Later, state media confirmed photographs of Khamenei’s casket draped by a purple flag with white calligraphy studying “Ya Hussein,” a Shiite expression in remembrance of the Seventh-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. It had been flying over the Imam Hussein golden-domed shrine in Karbala, Iraq. The flag additionally historically symbolizes each the spilled blood of somebody unjustly killed and a name for vengeance.
Iranian spiritual leaders and different mourners stroll previous the coffins of slain Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his household throughout a viewing ceremony forward of the dayslong funeral ceremonies on the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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High normal seems for first time in months
Pictures revealed on-line by Iranian state media confirmed Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a gathering Thursday in regards to the funeral of Khamenei, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran’s theocracy held a smaller service for him Thursday evening close to the supreme chief’s former dwelling in downtown Tehran.
“They must know that the pure blood of our martyred imam will mark another turning point in the victories of beloved Islam across the global arena,” Vahidi instructed state tv in feedback aired Friday. “They will take to their graves the wish to see this nation surrender. This nation will rise higher day by day through this pure blood.”
Vahidi has grow to be a serious participant in formulating Iran’s powerful stance in negotiating a potential everlasting finish to the struggle with the USA, consultants say. He had not been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks earlier than the Iran struggle started. Israel killed prime leaders in Iran’s army and authorities in the course of the struggle, and has threatened the lifetime of the brand new supreme chief as nicely. Vahidi is believed to be a part of a small clique in direct contact with the youthful Khamenei.
It stays unclear whether or not Khamenei will seem at his father’s funeral. His father appeared in 1989 at Khomeini’s funeral, weeping visibly, as he started his journey to steer Iran for many years with an iron fist whereas confronting the West.
Israel’s repeated threats to kill Khamenei drew a warning from Iran’s joint army command Thursday, which instructed Israel and the U.S. “to avoid any miscalculation” over the approaching days.
Funeral to go on for days
Starting Saturday, Iran will maintain the dayslong funeral for Khamenei and his physique shall be transported to cities in each Iran and neighboring Iraq. Authorities plan to close down streets, airspace and every day life in Tehran as mourners commemorate the lifetime of Khamenei.
In Tehran, photographs of the late Khamenei’s fist may very well be seen in banners and in a large statue in Enghelab Sq., framed by what gave the impression to be ballistic missiles flying via the air. In his first message to the nation, learn by a state tv anchor, Mojtaba Khamenei stated he noticed his father’s physique after his loss of life with raised, clenched fist.
The banners learn in Arabic, English and Farsi: “We must rise.”
“This fist is the clenched fist of all us Muslims,” taxi driver Jafar Javadi stated. “The leader’s fist is a sign all our fists are clenched and they (the enemies) will be destroyed with these fists, God willing. We will continue chanting death to America and death to Israel with the same clenched fist.”
