Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Funeral Updates: Iran begins a procession through Tehran for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral

US-Iran War News, Khamenei Funeral News Updates: Tehran came to a standstill as millions gathered for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a US-Israeli strike that triggered war with Iran.

Millions of Iranians have gathered for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed along with four family members in a US-Israeli air strike earlier this year, as regional tensions remain high despite fragile diplomatic signals. Mourners waving red flags, a symbol of revenge, filled Tehran’s streets, chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, while US President Donald Trump said both sides had agreed to hold fire during the funeral proceedings.

Funeral draws massive crowds amid anger: The two-day public farewell ceremony for Khamenei concluded with vast crowds expected to join a funeral procession in Tehran. State imagery showed mourners packing major thoroughfares, many carrying red banners signifying a call for retaliation. The killing of Khamenei has sharply escalated anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment across Iran.

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Leaders issue warnings: Even as Washington signalled restraint, Israel’s military leadership struck a harder tone. Addressing troops in southern Lebanon, Israel’s army chief warned of a “rapid attack” if Hezbollah violates the ceasefire, underscoring the volatility along Israel’s northern border.

Here are the latest developments:

• Millions attended funeral prayers in Tehran for Khamenei and the family members killed alongside him in the February 28 strike.
• Trump said talks with Iran would resume once the funeral proceedings conclude.
• Iranian authorities have prepared for possible mass-casualty incidents during the processions.
• Funeral ceremonies are set to continue in Iraq before Khamenei’s final burial in Mashhad.
• Mojtaba Khamenei, named Iran’s new Supreme Leader in March, has not appeared in public, reportedly for security reasons.

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Live Updates
Jul 6, 2026 09:18 AM IST
Funeral procession to last 10-12 hours

Iran’s Press TV reports that the procession will begin from Tehran’s Grand Mosalla mosque, where Khamenei’s body has been lying in state for two days.

“Organisers expect the procession to last 10 to 12 hours, winding along a 10-kilometre [6.2-mile] route through Damavand Street, Imam Hussein Square, Enqelab Street, Enqelab Square, Azadi Street, Azadi Square, and Shahid Lashgari Highway, located near the Mehrabad airport,” it said.

The Tasnim news agency reported moments ago that the vehicle carrying Khamenei’s body was now “ready to enter the funeral procession route”.

Jul 6, 2026 09:09 AM IST
Saudi and Bahraini FMs discuss US-Iran talks during Riyadh meeting

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has met his Bahraini counterpart in Riyadh and “discussed the latest regional developments, including the US-Iran negotiation path”, according to a statement from his office.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Bahrain’s Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani also discussed “the ongoing efforts of both countries to enhance security and stability”, the statement said.

They “reaffirmed the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, it added.

Jul 6, 2026 08:52 AM IST
Photos: Iran Khamenei funeral

Jul 6, 2026 08:40 AM IST
Iran’s Ghalibaf calls MoU an ‘achievement for the axis of resistance’

Iran’s Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has met the vice chairman of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, Mohammed Al-Nuaimi, and hailed the MoU signed with the US as an achievement for Tehran’s “axis of resistance”.

“The United States and Israel were forced to practically recognise Iran’s allies in the axis of resistance, and this is one of the achievements of this memorandum,” Ghalibaf said, according to Iranian media.

Iran’s regional network of armed groups, known as the “axis of resistance”, includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and armed groups in Iraq.

Jul 6, 2026 08:32 AM IST
What we know so far

A two-day public farewell ceremony for Iran's slain former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has come to a close, with millions expected to join a funeral procession in Tehran today.
Israeli forces launched air strikes on Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, despite having signed a US-brokered agreement with Lebanon last month to end hostilities.
The strikes have raised fresh doubts over the durability of the ceasefire, even as funeral proceedings for Khamenei continue across Iran.

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