Ali Khamenei's funeral: authorities gather to mourn supreme leader before public ceremonies; PHOTOS and VIDEOS

Ali Khamenei's funeral begins in Iran with a ceremony reserved for Iranian authorities
The funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began this Friday (3) in Tehran and is expected to continue until next Thursday (9). The public wake takes place about four months after the death of the Iranian supreme leader, aged 86, during a joint bombing raid by the United States and Israel. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, assumed the role of Supreme Leader in March.
The farewell began with a private event for Iranian government officials and foreign leaders, at the Imam Khomeini mosque in the capital of the Persian country. No European or American representatives were invited to the funeral.
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The public ceremonies begin next Saturday, starting at 6am on Saturday local time (11:30pm on Friday Brasília time).
Iranian government officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, cry before Ali Khamenei's coffin during a private funeral on July 3, 2026.
Disclosure/Isna
On Monday (6), the funeral procession is planned in Tehran; on Tuesday, a ceremony in Qom; on Wednesday, tributes in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala; and, finally, on Thursday, Khamenei will be buried in the shrine of Imam Reza, in Mashhad, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam.
Iran prepares for the funeral of Ali Khamenei, supreme leader killed in an attack by the US and Israel on the first day of war
REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
On the eve of the ceremony, the Iranian capital was filled with black banners and banners as a sign of mourning, while support structures were set up along the route where the procession with the body of the supreme leader will pass.
The city's main avenues and squares received special decoration, while authorities finalize the last details of the operation. Security teams, city hall employees and volunteers work together to organize the event. The objective, according to authorities, is to ensure that the procession takes place in a safe and organized manner.
Iranian government authorities at the private funeral of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei on July 3, 2026.
Majid Asgaripour/Wana via REUTERS
Funeral leads to pilgrimage
Thousands of people follow to participate in the farewell rituals. Faced with the expectation of a large audience, the authorities mounted a wide security and traffic control operation.
The commander of the country's security forces, Brigadier General Ahmadreza Radan, informed the Iranian agency Fars that 65 thousand agents will act in the provinces of Tehran, Qom and Mashhad to guarantee order during the tributes. Another 200,000 soldiers and police were mobilized to reinforce security on the roads and in the border regions that give access to the three cities.
According to Radan, 16,000 special patrols will also be mobilized and 15,000 checkpoints will be installed throughout the operation. He also stated that airports, land borders and other points of entry into the country are already prepared to receive foreign delegations and visitors who will travel to Iran to attend the ceremonies.
See more photos below:
A member of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada stands guard in front of a mural depicting the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani
Ali Khamenei's coffin in ceremony funeral in Iran on July 2, 2026
Mehr News
The coffin of Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei and family members during a private funeral for Iranian officials in Tehran, Iran, on July 3, 2026.
Majid Asgaripour/Wana via REUTERS
Iranian government officials with Ali Khamenei's coffin during the funeral on July 3 2026.
REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Grieving women pay tribute to Ali Khamenei
Agência Tasnim
Authorities and family gather to mourn the death of Ali Khamenei
Agência Tasmin

Source: G1