Iran-US war latest: Ayatollah’s funeral to draw 20 million people as Tehran on guard for attacks

Iran has begun several days of public mourning for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes in February. Officials told AFP that the funeral in Tehran could draw as many as 20 million mourners and expect the public turnout to be a “referendum” for the Islamic Republic. The regime’s ruling clerics are preparing days of mass funeral rites for Khamenei. Funeral events will begin over the weekend in Tehran, followed by mass processions next week in Qom and Masshad and ceremonies in Iraq. "The large public turnout ⁠at the funeral procession of the martyred leader and the other martyrs will, in effect, be another referendum for the Islamic Republic," Qom Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Mohammad Saidi declared to state media. Iran has warned Donald Trump and Israel not to launch strikes during the state funeral. Ali ‌Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the “enemies of Iran” should avoid a “miscalculation” or else face harsh retaliation.Mourners fill the streets of Tehran Mourners thronged a vast prayer complex in Tehran on Saturday as the week-long funeral ceremonies of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began with the national anthem, religious eulogies and readings from the Quran. Television footage showed his coffin draped with the Iranian flag and topped with his black turban. It was placed, along with four other coffins of his slain family members, on a large black platform that resembled the Kaaba, representing Islam's holiest site in Mecca. The vast courtyard of the complex, ‌the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, was filled with mourners, many waving Iranian flags and carrying photographs of the slain leader. (AFP/Getty) Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 July 2026 08:51 Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 08:30Small coffin of Khamenei's granddaughter placed at funeral A casket containing the body of slain Iranian leader Ali Khamenei was placed alongside the coffins of his relatives killed in US-Israeli airstrikes in February, including a small coffin of his 14-month-old granddaughter. Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani's small coffin was draped in the Iranian national flag, with her framed photo next to it. Six days of public funeral ceremonies have been planned, with Khamenei's remains expected to be carried across cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 08:00Video: Foreign leaders attend Khamenei funeral Leaders from Pakistan, Turkey, and Russia arrived at Tehran to pay their respects to the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Some in attendance were Russian security council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Turkish vice president Cevdet Yilmaz, Iraqi president Nizar Amidi, Iraqi parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani senate chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani and army chief Asim Munir Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 07:30Caskets of Khamenei and his family unveiled The casket of slain Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and those of his family members killed in US airstrike in February were unveiled inside a glass case before weeping mourners in Tehran today. Iranian state television broadcast showed the casket being unveiled as thousands of grieving people gathered at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex. Videos broadcast by the state news channel show thousands dressed in black packing the streets, waving Iranian flags and other banners. Several carried red banners, a symbol associated with calls for revenge, chanting “death to America” and “revenge, revenge”, AFP reported. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 07:00Tehran given 'week off' for Khamenei funeral, Trump says In a speech at Mount Rushmore yesterday, president Donald Trump bragged that the US "knocked the hell out of Iran" and "gave them a week off" to mourn the slain late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. "They’re dying to settle; they want to settle so badly," he said at the speech marking the 250th anniversary celebrations of the US. “We gave them a week off for a funeral because we’re nice,” Trump said. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 06:30In Pictures: Mourners gather to pay respects to slain leader Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 06:00Iran hits back at Trump's remark about Tehran's need for US food Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, hit back at US president Donald Trump's recent statement that Tehran needed imports from the US to ease its food situation. “They need food. They need corn and wheat and soya beans, and we’re going to have exclusively our American farmers provide," Trump told CNBC on Thursday. Ghalibaf dismissed the US president's assertions. “Our assets, our choices. Mind your malnutrition rates,” the Iranian parliament speaker said. “Imagine having 40-something million of your own citizens on food stamps and calling another nation hungry,” he said. Over 42 million people in the US participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program last year, commonly called the food stamp programme, according to the US agriculture department Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 05:30Houthis say they confronted Saudi 'warplanes' targeting plane headed to Iran Yemen's Houthis said they confronted warplanes, alleging they attempted to prevent the landing of planes carrying dignitaries to Iran from the Sanaa International Airport, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on Friday. The Houthis warned that they would target "Saudi airports and vital interests on land and sea" if the Saudis continued what the group called violations of Yemeni airspace. A Saudi-led coalition said the Houthis' statement was an attempt to "divert attention away" from the group's "violations" against the Yemeni people. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 05:00Thousands enter funeral venue before processions Crowds of thousands of people entered the Imam Khomeini Mosalla prayer complex in Tehran to pay respects to the slain Supreme Leader ahead of the official start of the processions. The courtyard of the prayer complex was filled with people, AFP reported. With heavy traffic restrictions imposed across Tehran, mourners could be seen walking several miles to reach the venue on state television broadcasts. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 04:30