Funeral for Iran's late supreme leader to begin on July 4 in Tehran
Tehran, June 14
The funeral for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is scheduled to begin here on July 4, Iranian media reported.
Farewell ceremonies will be held at Imam Khomeini's Mosalla prayer hall in Tehran on July 4-5, followed by funeral processions in the capital and the central city of Qom on July 6-7, read a statement released by the headquarters responsible for Khamenei's commemoration, which was carried by Iranian media.
According to the statement, the final funeral ceremony will be held in the northeastern city of Mashhad on July 9, following which the late leader will be laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Shiite Muslims, in the same city and on the same day.
The long-serving supreme leader of Iran was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was selected as Iran's new supreme leader in early March, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier in March, Khamenei was killed in an epochal attack by the US and Israel, marking an inflection point in the 46-year Shia-theocratic rule, as Tehran's retaliation set off conflagrations in a swath of the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump announced then the killing of the 86-year-old cleric, ending his iron-fisted rule over Iran for 36 years.
Trump said on Truth Social, "He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do".
Four relatives of Khamenei, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were also killed in the US-Israeli strikes, reported Iran's Fars News Agency on Sunday, citing sources.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The timing of the funeral in July is interesting. The regime change seems to have happened smoothly with his son taking over. But I worry about the sectarian violence that could follow. As a student of history, I see parallels with the aftermath of Saddam's fall. The US-Israel action might have removed a leader, but it hasn't solved the underlying Shia-Sunni tensions or the nuclear issue. Praying for peace. 🙏
Everyone is talking about geopolitics, but can we spare a thought for the innocent civilians who will pay the price for this power vacuum? Iran has a young, educated population that has been suffering under sanctions. This assassination and the retaliatory attacks will only bring more suffering to the common man. As Indians who have faced terrorism, we know that violence only begets more violence. This is not a victory for anyone. 😔
As someone who works in Mumbai with many Parsi and Iranian friends, I can say the diaspora here is deeply shaken. Many are worried about their families back home. The killing of his relatives is a new low in this conflict. It's not clear how the new leadership will be different. The funeral rites at the Imam Reza shrine are sacred for Shias worldwide, including some in India. It's a sad day for humanity when assassinations and funerals become the news cycle.
I have to be critical here: The US and Israel have no right to be judge, jury, and executioner. Whatever you think of Khamenei's regime, this sets a dangerous precedent. What stops another country from doing the same to a leader they don't like? India has always stood for non-interference and diplomacy. This open assassination is a violation of international law. The world order is collapsing before our eyes. 🤷♂️
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