Iran sets July 9 burial for slain former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Iran has announced that its former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be buried on July 9 in the holy city of Mashhad, more than four months after he was killed in Israeli and US air strikes that ended his nearly 37-year rule over the Islamic Republic.

State television reported that funeral ceremonies for the late leader will begin in Tehran on July 4 before moving to the holy city of Qom on July 7. The final burial will take place two days later in Mashhad, Khamenei's hometown in northeastern Iran.

The burial had initially been planned for March but was delayed because of the war, according to state media.

Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, in strikes carried out by Israel and the United States. His death brought to a close more than three decades at the helm of Iran's leadership.

The funeral programme will start with three days of ceremonies in the capital, Tehran, before continuing in Qom, one of the country's most important religious centres.

The events will conclude on July 9 when Khamenei is laid to rest in Mashhad, home to the Imam Reza Shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam.

State media said the ceremonies are expected to draw large crowds as Iran prepares to bid farewell to the leader who shaped the country's political and religious direction for nearly four decades.