Khamenei’s funeral to begin on July 4

DUBAI: Iran will begin funeral ceremonies for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 4, with burial scheduled for July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad, according to state media.

Khamenei was killed on Feb 28 on the first day of Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran. He was 86 and had led the country for 36 years.

The reported funeral schedule also includes ceremonies in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, on July 7.

Islamic law calls for the dead to be buried as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 hours, though exceptions can be made in wartime. During his decades in power, Khamenei oversaw Iran’s emergence as a major anti-US force and expanded its military influence across the Middle East.