As a spin-off of the ongoing war between Iran and the U.S., slain Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s jail diary is selling like hot cakes at the book festival in Srinagar.

Buyers are jostling at the stall set up by the Mutahhari Fikri Wa Saqafati Markaz at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the Dal Lake, with peak footfall of 20,000 visitors a day. Many local Shia clerics are recording videos on buying these books for social media platforms.

The front desk of the stall pavilion has stacks of books authored by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of the 1979 Iranian revolution, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, who was killed in a joint attack of the Israel and the U.S. on February 28 this year.  

Read | Escalation trap: On the U.S. and the war with Iran

“Khamenei’s jail diary, ‘Cell No. 14’, has evoked a huge response. We are selling dozens of copies every day. We had a buyer who took 60 copies of it from the Chenab Valley of J&K,” said a salesman at the stall.

The ongoing war between Iran and the U.S. has generated a lot of interest among readers in Kashmir to know about the spiritual leadership of Iran, which has shaped the country in the past four decades.

“’Cell No. 14’ is the autobiography of Khamenei. It gives a peek into what revolutionaries in Iran suffered under the Shah regime. It provides a context to understand the Iranian government and its resolve,” said Rashid Ahmad, a student of Kashmir University (KU).   

The appeal of Iranian literature is not limited to Shia readers of Kashmir, with Sunnis also turning up at the stall and showing interest in their writings. “Reading Iranian literature, especially the shapers of modern-day Iran, is essential to know how the country has married democracy and the clergy into one,” said Faiz Khan, a Political Science student. 

Several local politicians and bureaucrats also purchased the autobiographies and books authored by the Iranian leaders from the stall, said another salesman. 

It’s for the first time that Shia publishers have set up several stalls at the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival organised by the National Book Trust (NBT), which started on July 18 and will conclude on July 26.

“We had a very good response this year. Our peak footfall was more than 20,000 a day,” said Dr. Amit Wanchoo, chief convener of the Chinar Book Festival.  

The nine-day festival, which J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated, saw over 200 publishers and book exhibitors displaying a range of books in English, Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi, and several other Indian languages.

However, the book fair was not out of the police scanner this year, in the wake of two pro-separatists making it to the school education department in J&K. Officials said all the publishers were asked to furnish the list of books and submit records on a daily basis so that no anti-India or pro-separatists were displayed in the stalls.

Last year, 25 books authored by renowned writers like Christopher Snedden, A.G. Noorani, Sumantra Bose, Ayesha Jalal, Sugata Bose, Arundhati Roy, Stephen P Cohen, Anuradha Bhasin, Seema Qazi etc, were banned in J&K for “exciting secession, endangering the integrity of India” and “propagating false narrative and secessionism in J&K”.

Israel shared intelligence with the United States this week about a new and “specific” plan by Iran to assassinate President Donald Trump, U.S. media reported Thursday (July 9, 2026).

The reports come as renewed U.S. and Iranian attacks raise fears of a return to all-out war and after Mr. Trump’s puzzling use of an old plane to depart from Türkiye after the NATO summit.

Also read: West Asia war updates on July 10, 2026

Washington has monitored “a steady drumbeat” of intelligence about possible plans to assassinate Mr. Trump, “but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plot”, CNN reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal, also citing unidentified sources, said the intelligence described a “fresh” plot.

Tehran has for years vowed to hit back at Mr. Trump for ordering the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, during his first term.

When AFP contacted the White House about the reports, an unidentified official pointed to Mr. Trump’s remarks from Wednesday (July 8, 2026).

“They want to take out the U.S. leader – me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew home from a NATO summit.

Mr. Trump used his old Air Force One plane to leave Türkiye, where the summit took place, sending his new Qatari-gifted jet on ahead to Britain, where he switched planes for the journey to Washington.

The switch from the new jet on its maiden foreign trip sparked speculation it was because its security features were lacking — particularly as the U.S. launched fresh strikes against Iran, which borders Türkiye.

The New York Times reported on late Wednesday (July 8, 2026) that the switch was made at the request of the U.S. Secret Service “as a security precaution”.

In a press conference, Mr. Trump sidestepped safety questions but alluded to previous alleged assassination attempts by Iran.

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.**

Iran’s President Massoud Pezeshkian has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to travel to Tehran to attend the burial ceremonies of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who was assassinated in joint Israel-U.S. attack on February 28, diplomatic sources have told The Hindu. The sources said the invite for Mr. Modi was conveyed to the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) though the MEA officials did not clarify whether Mr. Modi would travel for the funeral which will be held between July 3 and 9 and cover multiple cities such as Tehran, Qom and Mashhad.

Iran has announced that the burial ceremonies for the Supreme Leader will take place in Tehran and Qom on July 5, 6 and 7 while the final burial ceremony will take place in the city of Mashhad on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Mr. Modi is expected to visit Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand between July 6 and 11 and there is no official communication on whether the Prime Minister would visit for the official burial of the late Ayatollah.

Bilateral cooperation

Iran’s Minister of Petroleum Mohsen Paknejad arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to participate in the meetings related to energy cooperation among BRICS member-states, the Embassy of Iran has announced. “During his visit, Mr. Paknejad is scheduled to hold talks with Indian officials and representatives of the country’s energy sector. Expanding bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector, exploring investment opportunities, and exchanging views on the latest developments in the global energy market are among the main topics on the agenda,” said the Embassy of Iran in an announcement.

Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar had represented India in the official burial ceremony of Iran’s then President Ibrahim Raisi who had died in a helicopter crash on May 19, 2024. Mr. Modi had visited the United Arab Emirates on May 15 and before that he had visited Israel during February 25-26. The previous four months have seen disruption in India’s energy and fertilizer supplies because of the U.S.-Israel vs Iran war which has led to a retaliatory Iranian chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. India has maintained communication with all sides to ensure safety for its civilians in the Gulf states as well as for its energy and fertilizer imports from the region.

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita has attended a mourning ceremony for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The ceremony was organised by the Iranian embassy on Sunday (April 12, 2026) to pay respect to the departed leader on the 40th day (Chehelum) of his demise.

Iran’s ‌Assembly of Experts has named ​Mojtaba Khamenei ⁠to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ‌as the country’s new supreme ‌leader, state ‌media reported ⁠on Sunday (March 8, 2026).

Mr. Mojtaba, a ⁠mid-ranking cleric with close ties to the powerful ​Revolutionary ‌Guards, had long been viewed by elements of Iran’s ruling ‌establishment as a ​potential successor to his father, who ⁠was killed after the United ‌States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

His wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, daughter of a former speaker of parliament, also died in the U.S.-Israeli strikes according to Iranian authorities.

Israel-Iran war LIVE

Although Iran’s ruling ideology frowns on the principle ‌of hereditary succession, he ​has a powerful following within ⁠the Guards and his dead ⁠father’s still-influential office. 

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, “is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts”, the clerical body said in a statement.

It said that the body “did not hesitate for a minute” in choosing a new leader, despite “the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime”.

U.S. President Donald Trump has previously dismissed the younger Khamenei as a “lightweight”, and insisted again on Sunday (March 8, 2026) that he should have a say in the new leader’s appointment.

“If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long,” he told ABC News before the announcement was made.

But Tehran’s top diplomat said that the decision was Iran’s alone, adding it would “allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs”.

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi went on to demand Mr. Trump “apologise to people of the region” for starting the war.

Israel’s military had previously warned any successor that “we will not hesitate to target you”.

Iran Guards say ‘ready for complete obedience’ to Mojtaba Khamenei

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards pledged allegiance on Sunday (March 8, 2026) to the country’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, after he was appointed his father’s successor by the Assembly of Experts.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps… is ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands of the Guardian Jurist of the time, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei”, the Guards said in a statement.

Inputs from Reuters, AFP

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died following a major attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state media confirmed early on Sunday (March 1, 2026). President Donald Trump previously announced the death, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country.

Follow Iran-Israel conflict LIVE updates on March 1

Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency did not report a cause of death for the 86-year-old. The assassination put the future of the Islamic Republic in doubt and raised the risk of regional instability.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post. He warned of “heavy and pinpoint bombing” that he said would continue throughout the week and even beyond, part of a lethal assault the U.S. has justified as necessary to disable the country’s nuclear capabilities.

The attack opened a stunning new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran, carried the potential for retaliatory violence and a wider war, and represented a startling flex of military might for an American President who swept into office on an “America First” platform and vowed to keep out of “forever wars.”

The killing of Khamenei in the second Trump administration assault on Iran in eight months appeared certain to create a leadership vacuum given the absence of a known successor and because the 86-year-old supreme leader had final say on all major policies during his decades in power. He led Iran’s clerical establishment and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, the two main centers of power in the governing theocracy.

As reports trickled out about the death, eyewitnesses in Tehran told The Associated Press that some residents were rejoicing, blowing whistles and letting out ululations.

Iran, which responded to the strikes with its own counterassault, warned of retribution.

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, said on Saturday (February 28, 2026) that Israel and America will “regret their actions.”

“The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors,” Mr. Larijani posted on X.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday (February 1, 2026) warned that any U.S. strike on the country would become a regional war even as Tehran and Washington confirmed that talks are progressing between the two sides amid regional efforts to de-escalate tensions.

“The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” said Mr. Khamenei while addressing a gathering at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Hussainiya, which is part of the Office of the Supreme Leader. “We are not the initiators of war. We do not seek to oppress anyone. We do not seek to attack any country. However, anyone who seeks to attack or cause harm will face a decisive blow from the Iranian nation,” said Mr. Khamenei.

His comments, which were also posted on social media, came at a time when the U.S. has sent warships, fighter jets and an aircraft carrier to West Asia’s waters amid threats of a strike on Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that “time was running our for Iran” to make a deal over its nuclear programme, adding that “a massive armada” was heading towards Iran and that it was “ready to use violence” if necessary.

Mr. Khamenei appeared to play down Mr. Trump’s threats and U.S. troops mobilisation near Iran’s shores. “That Americans sometimes talk about war – saying we will come with warships and aircraft – is nothing new. The Iranian nation is not affected by such talks. They shouldn’t try to intimidate the Iranian nation with such things,” he added.

Iranian officials in recent days had warned that any U.S. attack on Iran would not be a limited war. But at the same time, Tehran has also signalled that it was still open for diplomacy. Earlier on Sunday (February 1, 2026), Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said talks were progressing between the two sides. “Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” Mr. Larijani, an influential figure in Tehran who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on January 30, wrote on social media.

U.S. President Trump also confirmed that talks were on. “They are talking to us. Seriously talking to us,” Mr. Trump told reporters in Washington on Sunday.

Regional countries Oman, Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia were pushing for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Turkey has stated that it would not support any military action against Iran. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two American allies in the Persian Gulf, have ruled out letting their air space be used for a strike against Iran. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Mr. Larijani in Tehran on Saturday (January 31, 2026) to discuss “efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region”.

The Prime Minister reiterated Qatar’s “support for all efforts aimed at reducing tensions and achieving peaceful solutions that enhance security and stability in the region”, the Ministry said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was in Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on January 29, said Iran was open for a “fair and equitable” nuclear deal.

“Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and is ready to embrace a fair and equitable nuclear deal that meets the legitimate interests of our people; this includes ensuring ‘No Nuclear Weapons’ and guaranteeing the lifting of sanctions,” Mr. Araghchi wrote in social media after meeting Mr. Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. “Iran always stands ready to engage with regional states to protect peace and stability in our region and shield it from unlawful aggression,” he added.

Iran’s ‍supreme ​leader Ali Khamenei said ‌on ​Saturday (January 17, 2026) that Iran considers U.S. President ​Donald Trump a “criminal” ⁠for inflicting casualties, damage, ​and ⁠slander on the Iranian people ‌during the ‌protests.

“The latest anti-Iran ‍sedition was ‍different in that the U.S. President personally became ⁠involved,” Iranian media ​quoted Mr. Khamenei as ⁠saying.