EXPLAINERSeveral heads of state and other government officials will gather in Tehran for Khamenei’s state funeral. Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026Representatives from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which starts on Friday, according to Iranian state-linked news broadcaster IRIB.Khamenei was killed aged 86 in a joint United States-Israeli air strike on his compound on February 28, the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran.We take a look at some of the major countries and representatives expected to participate in the ceremony.What do we know about the commemoration itself?While Khamenei’s burial was initially scheduled for March, it was delayed as the war on Iran dragged on.The commemoration will begin in Tehran on Friday, and funeral ceremonies and processions will run for seven days, with religious rites planned in cities across Iran and Iraq.The event on Friday is the one most foreign leaders will attend.On Saturday and Sunday, public ceremonies will take place in Tehran. The coffin of Khamenei alongside several of his family members will be placed in the Grand Mosalla, one of Iran’s largest prayer complexes, for public viewing.On Monday and Tuesday, the funeral processions will move southwards towards the Iranian city of Qom. On Wednesday, an official reception will be held at Najaf International Airport in Iraq, followed by public processions in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, according to Iranian and Iraqi leaders.The body will then return to Iran for the final burial ceremony at the shrine of Imam Reza in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Friday. Mashhad is also where Khamenei was born. Advertisement Which countries are sending heads of state or government?
Pakistan: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the state funeral of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. Pakistan has played a central role in mediating between the U …
