Iran has begun the first phase of the official janaza for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike.
On Friday morning July 3, 2026, his body, along with those of his companions, was brought to Tehran’s Grand Mosalla where high-level delegations from 100 countries are attending the event.
The body has been placed in the main prayer hall for two days of public viewing, allowing citizens to pay their respects. Foreign dignitaries and religious leaders have also been visiting the Grand Mosalla. Among the first international mourners were religious scholars and cultural figures from Indonesia and Afghanistan, according to Press TV.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that high-level delegations, political leaders, and representatives of civil society from nearly 100 countries were participating in the farewell ceremonies.
“Our neighboring countries have sent very high-level delegations to Tehran,” Baghaei said. “At least eight presidents or prime ministers and the speakers of parliament from 12 countries will attend in person. Many other countries have also sent their foreign ministers or special envoys.”
However, he added that European countries which had officially supported the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran were not invited to the ceremony.
According to the report, Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on the first day of a 40-day war that began against Iran on February 28. A private farewell ceremony involving officials from his office and the families of those killed in the war was held on Thursday evening (July 2).
The Grand Mosalla was opened to the public on Friday morning for mourning and tribute.
Iranian authorities estimate that between 15 million and 20 million mourners will participate in the six-day janaza events.
President Masoud Pezeshkian urged all Iranians, regardless of political, religious, or ideological affiliation, to attend the janaza. In a post on X, he wrote, “I call on all Iranians, regardless of nation, religion, or political ideology, to participate in historic numbers to bid farewell to this devoted servant of Islam and the Revolution. Through this, the world will witness a lasting image of our national unity and loyalty to the Islamic system.”
According to the announced schedule, Khamenei’s body will remain at the Grand Mosalla on Saturday and Sunday. A massive janaz prayer and mourning procession will be held in Tehran on Monday July 6, 2026. His body will then be taken to the holy city of Qom, followed by farewell ceremonies in Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf in Iraq. The final burial is scheduled to take place in Mashhad on July 9, 2026.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, described the occasion as a stark symbol of U.S. hostility toward Iran.
Coincidentally, July 3 marks the 38th anniversary of the 1988 downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the U.S. warship USS Vincennes over the Persian Gulf.
In a post on X, Gharibabadi wrote, “On this day, while remembering the 290 martyrs of Flight 655, the Iranian nation also honors the memory of its martyred leader. This tragedy demonstrates the depth of America’s hostility toward Iran.”
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