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Iran, Iraq to Hold Khamenei Funeral July 4-9

7/3/2026

24 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Iran and Iraq will hold funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei from July 4-9.
Tehran will host farewells on July 4-5 and a procession on July 6.
Qom will hold mourning on July 7.
Iraqi rites will occur on July 8 in Najaf and Karbala, followed by burial in Mashhad on July 9 after the body lands at Najaf Airport at 10 a.m.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Najaf and Karbala governors to coordinate logistics.

History

Historical Context

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died on 3 June 1989 after a week-long hospital stay, prompting a week of national mourning that drew up to ten million people to Tehran’s Azadi Square and parallel ceremonies in Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala. That trans-national funeral set a template for today’s coordinated July 4-9 rites for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, overseen by Iran’s foreign minister and Iraqi governors.

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Story summary

Iran and Iraq will hold funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei from July 4-9.
Tehran will host farewells on July 4-5 and a procession on July 6.
Qom will hold mourning on July 7.
Iraqi rites will occur on July 8 in Najaf and Karbala, followed by burial in Mashhad on July 9 after the body lands at Najaf Airport at 10 a.m.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Najaf and Karbala governors to coordinate logistics.

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