Funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei

The official poster of "Farewell to Iran's Martyr Leader" and its central slogan "Must Rise"

The funeral of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei refers to the funeral procession of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the second Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was held from 3–9 July 2026 in the cities of Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad. His body, along with four members of his family, was buried at dawn on 10 July 2026 in the Imam Rida Holy Shrine in Mashhad. According to reports, a total of between 40 and 43 million people attended these ceremonies, making it the largest funeral procession in world history.

The widespread holding of the funeral ceremonies has been assessed as a display of the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a symbol of national unity and solidarity among Iranians, a sign of the consolidation of Iran's victory in the Ramadan War, the people's adherence to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution, a renewal of allegiance to the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the continuation of the popular base of the system.

Ayatollah Khamenei was martyred on February 28, 2026 during joint US-Israeli attacks on the Leader's residence. Due to wartime conditions and security considerations, his funeral and burial ceremonies were delayed for over four months and were held in July 2026.

Assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei

Main article: Assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei

Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the second Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was martyred on 10 Ramadan 1447/February 28, 2026, in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on the Leader's Residence Complex in Tehran during the Ramadan War. In this attack, several members of the Iranian leader's family (including his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and grandson), some members of his office, and a number of Iranian military commanders were also martyred.

Reason for the Delay in Holding the Ceremony

According to the spokesperson for Iran's Supreme Leader's Farewell and Funeral Committee, the delay in holding the ceremony was due to wartime conditions and security considerations. It was also stated that Ayatollah Khamenei's body had not been temporarily or trustfully buried during this period, and reports published regarding a temporary burial have been denied.

Speculations about the Time and Place

In the early days following the martyrdom of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, speculations were published regarding the burial site, including the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, the Shrine of Hadrat Mas'uma (a), Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, and the Imam Khomeini Shrine in Tehran. Additionally, early Muharram was mentioned as one of the possible times for holding the burial ceremony. The Islamic Propagation Coordination Council also announced on March 4 in a statement that a farewell ceremony for his body would be held for three days, which was later canceled.

Official Programs

Farewell to the body of Ayatollah Khamenei at the Tehran Mosalla

The farewell, funeral, and burial ceremonies of Sayyid Ali Khamenei began on 18 Muharram 1448/July 3 and continued until 24 Muharram/July 9 in various cities.

Tribute Ceremony

On July 3, 2026, a tribute ceremony was held for the body of Ayatollah Khamenei, attended by political officials, representatives of countries, and various political and religious groups and figures. According to reports, eight heads of state, twelve parliamentary speakers, and representatives from over 100 countries attended the tribute ceremony. The President of Tajikistan, Georgia, and Iraq, the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and Armenia, and the parliamentary speakers of Pakistan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Oman, as well as the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Secretary-General of the D-8 Group, and the Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), were among the participants in this ceremony.

Farewell Ceremony at the Tehran Mosalla

According to the announcement of the Headquarters for Commemorating the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the farewell ceremony was held on July 4–5 at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran, with large crowds of people in attendance.

Funerals in Iran and Iraq

Part of the Funeral prayer led by Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli over the body of Ayatollah Khamenei at Jamkaran Mosque.

The funeral ceremonies were held with massive crowds of people and officials from Iran and several other countries on 6 July in Tehran, 7 July in Qom, 8 July in Najaf and Karbala, and 9 July in Mashhad. The funeral in Iraq took place on 8 July in Najaf and Karbala, following requests from the Iraqi people and political and religious figures. At the funeral ceremony in Iraq, Iraqi officials such as the Prime Minister, and scholars including Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Mudarresi, a marja' residing in Karbala, as well as some Iranian officials and scholars, were in attendance.

According to the spokesperson of the "Farewell to Iran's Martyr Leader" Headquarters, Shi'as in Pakistan also requested that a funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Khamenei's body be held in their country, but this was not accepted due to time constraints.

Funeral Prayer

The grave of Ayatollah Khamenei and his family members in the Dar al-Dhikr Porch of the Imam Reza Shrine.

In all the cities where the funeral ceremonies were held, the Funeral prayer was also performed by maraji' and scholars. This prayer was held on 5 July, led by Ayatollah Ja'far Subhani at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran; on 7 July, led by Ayatollah Jawadi Amuli at Jamkaran Mosque; and on 8 July, led by Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Hakim at the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a). Additionally, Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, the representative of Ayatollah Sistani and custodian of the Imam al-Husayn Holy Shrine, performed the funeral prayer at the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a), and Sayyid Ahmad al-Safi, also a representative of Ayatollah Sistani and custodian of the Al-Abbas Shrine, performed it at the Holy Shrine of al-Abbas (a). On 9 July, the funeral prayer was led by Sayyid Mustafa Husayni Khamenei, the eldest son of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, at the Imam Reza Holy Shrine. According to the son of Ayatollah Sistani, his father did not perform the funeral prayer due to his physical condition and health.

Burial in Mashhad

The bodies of Ayatollah Khamenei and his family members were buried at dawn on 10 July/24 Muharram in the Dar al-Dhikr Porch of the Imam Reza Shrine. At the funeral and burial ceremony of Iran's Supreme Leader in Mashhad, guests from 27 countries were in attendance. Some sources have stated that the burial in the Imam Reza Shrine was in accordance with his will.

In this ceremony, four members of Sayyid Ali Khamenei's family were also buried alongside him: Boshra Khamenei (daughter), Misbah al-Huda Baqiri-Kani (son-in-law), Zahra Haddad-Adil (daughter-in-law), and 14-month-old baby Zahra Muhammadi-Gulpayigani (granddaughter).

Holding Commemorative Ceremonies

Following the burial of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, commemorative gatherings were held for him by Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as by popular organizations, seminary institutions, and governmental bodies. Among these, a commemoration ceremony in Qom was held at the invitation of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, featuring a speech by Sayyid Ali Khomeini at the Shrine of Lady Ma'suma (a). Additionally, commemorative ceremonies were held for three nights at the Imam Reza Shrine under the auspices of the Supreme Leader. The Assembly of Experts, the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, and the Management Center of the Seminaries were also among the institutions that jointly held commemorative gatherings.

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  Funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei (Qom: 7 July, 2026).
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  Funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei (Najaf: 8 July).
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  The bodies of Ayatollah Khamenei's family at the Al-Abbas Shrine (8 July).
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  A view of the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei in (Karbala: 8 July).
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  Funeral ceremony of Ayatollah Khamenei (Mashhad: 9 July).
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  Banners of Ya Latharat al-Hussein and Ya Latharat al-Khamenei at the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei as a symbol of vengeance (Tehran).

Slogan and Symbol of the Ceremony

Commemorative stamp of the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei in Iraq.

The Headquarters for Commemorating the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced the name of the funeral and burial ceremony of Ayatollah Khamenei as "Farewell to Iran's Martyr Leader" and its central slogan as "Must Rise." In the statement of this headquarters, the slogan "Must Rise" is described as a symbol of the continuation of Ayatollah Khamenei's path and the adherence of his supporters to his ideals. Additionally, the slogan "Qumū lillāh" (Arise for God) has been selected as the official slogan in the international arena, particularly for Arabic-speaking communities. The "clenched fist" was also introduced as the official symbol of this ceremony. This symbol is derived from the phrase "I heard that his healthy hand had clenched into a fist" in the first message of Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei after his selection as the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, describing the body of his father.

Largest Funeral Ceremony in the World (Statistics)

The funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran, Qom, Najaf, and Karbala has been described as the largest funeral in history. Fars News Agency, citing official sources, reported the total number of participants in these ceremonies as between 41 and 43 million people. Al-Mayadeen network described this ceremony as the largest funeral in contemporary world history, Iraq's Al-Ghadir TV called it the "largest referendum," and the Financial Times described it as one of the largest funeral ceremonies in history.

Estimates of the number of participants at each ceremony vary. Some media outlets, including France's TV5 and Qatar's Al Jazeera, reported that up to 20 million people attended the Tehran funeral ceremony. Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) reported the number of participants in the Najaf funeral as 3 million and 800 thousand people, while the spokesperson of the funeral committee for Ayatollah Khamenei's body in Iraq announced approximately three million people. Some sources estimated this number at approximately 2.5 million people. The number of participants in Karbala was estimated between 4 and 7 million people. According to the report of the funeral committee for the body of Iran's Leader in Iraq, ten million people participated in the funerals in Najaf and Karbala. The number of mourners in Mashhad was also reported as 7 to 8 million people.

Symbolic Funerals

The funeral ceremony of Ayatollah Khamenei in Bayn al-Haramayn

Symbolic Funeral

Following the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, symbolic funeral ceremonies were held at the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a) in Najaf, and the Holy Shrine of al-Kazimayn, as well as in several other Iraqi cities such as Baghdad. Concurrently with the funeral ceremonies of Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran, symbolic funerals were also held in several cities in Pakistan, India, Tunisia, Nigeria, Kashmir, and São Paulo, Brazil.

Absentee Funeral Prayer (Prayer for the Deceased in Absentia)

Following the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, absentee funeral prayers (Salat al-Mayyit al-Gha'ib) were performed for him in several cities in Pakistan, Türkiye, and Bosnia. Concurrently with the funeral ceremonies and funeral prayers in Iran, an absentee prayer was also held in the Gaza Strip.

Those Who Missed the Funeral (Commemorative Ceremonies for Non-Attendees)

Concurrently with the funeral ceremonies of Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran, Qom, and other cities, rituals were also held in several other Iranian cities under the title "Those Who Missed the Funeral". In these ceremonies, individuals who were unable to attend the main funeral processions honored his memory through programs such as mourning gatherings, elegy recitations, Quran recitation, and renewal of allegiance. Additionally, commemorative ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei were held in several other countries, including Lebanon and Yemen.

Message from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Excerpt from the message of Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei on the occasion of the funeral and burial of Ayatollah Khamenei

Iran's martyred leader... was a Husayni; he thought like Husayn (a), moved like Husayn, struggled and resisted like Husayn, lived like Husayn, and like Husayn, he offered his blood in the path of the school of Husayn and achieved martyrdom... On this occasion, it is fitting to sincerely thank the tens of millions of people, the astonishing, enemy-breaking, and historic presence of the people in the cities and villages of Iran and Iraq, especially Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad... O oppressed slain one! O proud oppressed one! O righteous servant of God! Now that we bid farewell to your body with tearful eyes and broken hearts, we pledge to you that we will honor your school and... we pledge to take revenge for your pure blood and that of all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers. This revenge is the will of our nation and must definitely be carried out. These criminals, whose list from top to bottom exists, will take to their graves the wish for a peaceful death in bed... This matter will be realized, and soon individuals of the free people around the world will each carry out a part of this divine mission.

Sayyid Mujtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, issued a message on the occasion of the funeral of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, expressing gratitude for the massive turnout of the people of Iran and Iraq at the ceremonies. He emphasized the continuation of his path, school of thought, and ideals. He also described the taking of revenge for the blood of Sayyid Ali Khamenei and the other martyrs of the Ramadan War and the Twelve-Day War as a demand of the Iranian nation and stressed that it would be realized.

Analyses and Reactions

The funeral ceremony of Ayatollah Khamenei received widespread coverage in regional and international media and was covered by many outlets. Some media and analysts assessed the holding of this funeral ceremony as a display of the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a symbol of national unity and solidarity among Iranians, a sign of the consolidation of Iran's victory in the Ramadan War, the commitment of Iranians to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution, a renewal of allegiance to the martyred leader and the new Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the continuation of the popular base of the system.

CNN described the simultaneous holding of funeral ceremonies in several Iranian and Iraqi cities, along with the management of millions of mourners and the provision of security, as an unprecedented operation and a sign of Iran's organizational capability after the Ramadan War. The Wall Street Journal also described the ceremony as a symbol of Iran's resistance against the United States and the Israeli regime. The Guardian also wrote in a report that the funeral ceremony proved that Iran is the biggest red line for the Iranian people. Some analysts have described the million-strong funeral ceremonies of Iran's Supreme Leader as a symbol of the defeat of the US President.

The holding of the funeral ceremony in Iraq was also viewed by some observers as a sign of the political and social ties between Iran and Iraq and the resistance groups.

Some media and analysts have attributed the massive popular presence at the funeral ceremony to the threatening and insulting statements made by the US President against Iran and its people. Trump had made threatening and insulting remarks against Iran and the Iranian people on July 8, 2026.

The funeral ceremony of the body of Iran's martyred leader was registered in Iran's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Public Holidays in Iran and Iraq

The Iranian government declared July 4, 2026 a public holiday in Tehran, July 5–6, 2026 nationwide, July 7–8, 2026 in several provinces, including Qom, and July 8–9, 2026 in other provinces, including Razawi Khorasan. Additionally, the Iraqi government declared July 8, 2026, a public holiday in eleven provinces, including Baghdad, Karbala, Najaf, and Basra, on the occasion of the funeral ceremonies in that country. The provinces of Najaf and Karbala were also closed on July 9, 2026, due to the massive public presence at the funeral ceremonies.

Calls for Revenge at the Ceremony

Participants in the funeral ceremonies carried blood-red banners and flags bearing the slogans "Ya Latharat al-Husayn" (O Avengers of Husayn) and "Ya Latharat al-Khamene'i" (O Avengers of Khamenei). While expressing their grief, they chanted slogans in support of taking revenge and continuing the confrontation against the United States and the Israeli regime. In Iraq, the ceremonies were also accompanied by Yazla (ritualistic battle cries).