Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and family members’ coffins on display in Tehran.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Iran is holding a massive funeral ceremony for the country’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The world is closely watching the multi-day funeral of the former leader amid a fragile pause in hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States, with wider implications for West Asia.
The Hindu’s live coverage of Ali Khamenei’s funeral
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, in joint precision strikes by the U.S. and Israel. The airstrikes killed also killed several other members of his family.
The state burial of the Iranian leader was delayed due to the active war situation and security risks and is being held almost four months after Iran formally acknowledged the Iranian Supreme Leader’s death on March 1.
Who is attending Ali Khamenei’s funeral?
Representatives from around 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral, with people pouring in from neighbouring Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The official number has not been released, and the Iranian authorities have been highly selective about disclosing the information about the attendees.
Here’s a list of leaders who have been confirmed to be attending the event:
India
Governor of Bihar Syed Ata Hasnain
Deputy Foreign Minister Pabitra Margherita
Former Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid
Member of Parliament, Pawan Khera
President of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti
President of Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al Safavi
Tajikistan
President Emomali Rahmon
Russia
Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former President, Dmitry Medvedev
China
Deputy leader of China’s top legislative body, He Wei.
Pakistan
Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif
Mojtaba Khamenei’s presence unconfirmed
It remains unknown if Khamenei’s son and successor Mojtaba, who has not been seen in public since becoming supreme leader, will be present at the main ceremony in Tehran.
There has been widespread speculation over his whereabouts and health in the months following the killing of his father.
Ali Khamenei funeral schedule.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the farewell ceremony for Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei is scheduled for Saturday (July 4, 2026) and Sunday (July 5, 2026) at the Imam Khomeini Musalla in Tehran. The bodies of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, as well as the widow of the new leader, his son Mojtaba, who were all killed in the same strike, will be carried alongside.
The funeral procession will take place in the capital on Monday (July 6, 2026).
A procession will follow in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) and a final procession will be held in the holy city of Mashhad on Thursday (July 9, 2026). He will be buried in Mashhad near the tomb of the Imam Reza, a figure of great devotion in Iran.
(With inputs from agencies) **The timings mentioned are in Iran Standard Time.**
Published – July 03, 2026 10:58 am IST
