Iran Schedules Khamenei State Funeral July 4‑9 as Peace Deal Nears

Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in the opening US‑Israeli airstrikes on 28 February 2026, will be honored with a week‑long state funeral. The ceremonies begin on 4 July in Tehran, continue with a procession on 6 July, a prayer service in Qom on 7 July, and conclude with burial on 9 July at the Imam Reza shrine in his hometown of Mashhad. The funeral was postponed from an original March schedule because of ongoing hostilities. Khamenei’s 56‑year‑old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father in March, will remain out of the public eye. Millions of mourners are expected in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad, with participants also anticipated from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India. At the same time, mediators say a framework to end the Iran‑US‑Israel war is close. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US officials have spoken of a deal that could be signed within 24 hours, aiming to halt fighting, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide sanctions relief. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that the agreement “has never been closer.” The funeral thus unfolds amid a critical diplomatic push that could reshape regional security.