Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried at the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad early on Friday, according to state media, bringing an end to a week of funeral processions, public mourning and religious ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq.
The burial took place at Iran’s holiest Shi’ite shrine after thousands of mourners gathered in Mashhad to pay their final respects. The funeral events also came as tensions between Iran and the United States resurfaced following weeks of a ceasefire in the four-month conflict.
Khamenei was killed in the opening strikes of the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. Iran and the United States later agreed to a truce last month.
Thousands Gather for Final Farewell
On Thursday, large crowds accompanied Khamenei’s coffin through the streets of Mashhad towards the Shrine of Imam Reza. Clerics wearing white turbans walked beside the vehicle carrying his body, while mourners dressed in black waved Iranian flags, held portraits of Khamenei and displayed red banners carrying revolutionary slogans.
Iran’s clerical leadership encouraged people to take part in the funeral ceremonies, presenting the large gatherings as a show of unity and support for the Islamic Republic. The week-long mourning events were held in both Iran and Iraq.
Despite surviving months of military conflict with the United States and Israel, Iran continues to face serious domestic political and economic challenges. Khamenei’s 37-year rule also remains a subject of debate within the country.
Mojtaba Khamenei Remains Out of Public View
Mojtaba Khamenei, who was proclaimed Iran’s new supreme leader by a clerical assembly in early March, has not appeared publicly since the war began. Although he has released written statements, no official photographs, videos or audio recordings of him have been made public.
According to senior sources in Tehran, Mojtaba suffered serious injuries in the strike that killed his father, including facial injuries and severe wounds to his limbs. The sources said he is recovering but is not yet well enough to appear in public. They also claimed that security agencies are restricting his public appearances due to concerns over possible future US attacks.
Anti-US Chants Echo Through Funeral Procession
Large crowds in Mashhad chanted anti-US slogans during the funeral procession, with many directing their anger towards US President Donald Trump. “I swear by the blood of the supreme leader, Trump, we will kill you!” the crowd shouted, while some women held placards reading “Kill Trump.”
As evening fell, thousands filled the courtyard of the Shrine of Imam Reza. Chants of “Death to America” echoed through the complex as funeral prayers and mourning music played over loudspeakers. A helicopter later carried Khamenei’s coffin above the packed crowd for the final part of the journey to the shrine’s blue-tiled burial chamber.
Khamenei’s eldest son, Mostafa, led the funeral prayers before male mourners carried the flag-draped coffin into the shrine. Many mourners lit candles, reached towards the coffin and wept.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported early on Friday that Khamenei and four members of his family who were killed alongside him had been buried.
Shrine Holds Deep Religious Importance
The Shrine of Imam Reza, located in Mashhad, is one of the holiest sites in Shi’ite Islam and attracts millions of pilgrims every year.
Before reaching Mashhad, Khamenei’s remains were taken through Tehran, the religious city of Qom and the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, where large crowds gathered to participate in mourning rituals and chant revolutionary slogans.
Iranian authorities have described Khamenei’s death as martyrdom, reflecting the central role that the concept of sacrifice holds in Shi’ite religious tradition.
Funeral Ends Nearly Four Decades of Leadership
Khamenei’s funeral marks the end of nearly four decades as Iran’s supreme leader, a period during which he strengthened the powers of the country’s religious leadership and expanded the influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
His burial also comes after months of nationwide protests, during which security forces carried out a broad crackdown amid growing public anger over Iran’s struggling economy and the impact of international sanctions.
Analysts say Iran emerged from the recent conflict with the United States while maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz, although the war also caused extensive damage and added pressure to the country’s economy.
Khamenei became Iran’s supreme leader in 1989 following the Islamic Revolution. Throughout his rule, he consolidated political, military and economic authority under the office of the supreme leader, while the influence of elected institutions steadily declined.
His successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, assumed the role with the backing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which many observers now consider the country’s most powerful political and military institution.
First published on: Jul 10, 2026 07:30 AM IST
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