Tehran: State ceremonies for Ali Khamenei begin – extensive security measures

Tehran – 04/07/2026: In the Iranian capital, official state-organized ceremonies in tribute to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began on Saturday. From the early morning hours, long queues formed outside the grand Mosalla Imam-Khomeini; public broadcasters aired live footage showing a dense crowd and numerous mourning banners. Extensive roadblocks and access controls were in place around the complex.

According to the authorities, Khamenei died on February 28, 2026, in airstrikes at the beginning of open hostilities with the United States and Israel. Tehran’s leadership had announced several days of farewell ceremonies in several cities for early July. In Tehran, senior representatives of the state apparatus as well as religious dignitaries took part on Saturday; security forces directed visitor flows through designated corridors and regularly called for calm and discipline.

Authorities announced that the burial was being prepared for July 9, 2026, in Mashhad. Before then, stops are planned in religious centers such as Qom, as well as honor processions through selected districts of the capital. For the duration of the ceremonies, temporary traffic restrictions, checkpoints and—depending on the situation—short-term no-fly zones will remain in force in Tehran and on the main roads. Hospitals along the route have been placed on heightened alert, according to official statements.

Images circulated from the Mosalla complex showing mourning processions with flags, portraits of the deceased and quotations from the Quran. Anti-Western slogans were chanted by part of the crowd. Foreign delegations arrived in stages, according to state media; details about their composition and protocol were published only to a limited extent. No independent confirmation of attendance figures was immediately available.

Observers in the region see the choreography of the ceremonies as an attempt to demonstrate unity and consolidate loyalty within the state apparatus and security bodies. At the same time, the security situation remains tense: shipping in the Persian Gulf continues to face increased risk, and contacts through third countries with the United States are described by diplomats as fragile. For the population of the capital, these days of mourning primarily mean restrictions on daily travel, frequent detours and intensive checks around major squares, stations and places of worship.

According to the authorities, the ceremonies are expected to continue until the transfer to Mashhad. Information on separate times for relatives and official delegations was disseminated by local media and through loudspeakers at the Mosalla. Further organizational details may change at short notice; the municipality asked residents to use only the indicated routes and follow official instructions.