Iran-US war latest: Mourners gather as six-day funeral for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei starts in Tehran

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.Iran's new supreme leader avoids father's funeral in fear of assassination by Israel- reports Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not been spotted at the funeral ceremony for his late father today. It is understood that the new supreme leader’s request to attend the processions was rejected by Iran’s security officials due to fears Israel will kill him or track him down. The New York Times cited two unnamed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members and a person involved with planning the multi-day funeral. The new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (ISNA) Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 July 2026 15:06Huge crowds mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran’s capital Thousands of people gathered at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran on Saturday, July 4, to pay their respects during a public farewell ceremony for Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israeli airstrikes in February. Mourners wept, beat their chests and waved flags as the flag-draped coffins of Khamenei and members of his family killed in the same attack were placed in state at the mosque. Iran has organised a week of funeral ceremonies and public processions for Khamenei. Public farewell events are scheduled for 4 and 5 July, followed by the main funeral procession in Tehran on 6 July. Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 July 2026 14:38What is going on behind the political scenes of the Ayotallah's funeral The delayed ceremony for the former supreme leader now serves as a critical test for Iran’s embattled theocracy, testing its capacity to mobilise widespread public support- particularly as the event unfolds six months after security forces brutally suppressed nationwide protests against Ali Khamenei’s rule. A significant turnout, while desired by the regime, also carries the inherent risk of deadly stampedes. Such tragedies have marred previous high-profile funerals, including that of Iran’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. An uneasy ceasefire, recently cemented by an interim agreement with the United States, is believed to have provided authorities with the confidence to proceed with the ceremony, which will involve the public appearance of top officials. Throughout the war, Israel targeted and killed senior Iranian leaders, in at least one instance leveraging public appearances to track them. Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 July 2026 13:48How Trump’s Iran peace process descended into chaos in a week Two weeks into the 60-day peace negotiation period between Iran and the United States and - despite President Donald Trump’s claims of success - little progress has been made. Instead, both sides appear to be regressing: hostilities have flared and officials from both sides are no longer directly talking to each other as the clock keeps ticking and key issues, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, remain unresolved.