Iran warns US and Israel against attacks as millions prepare for Khamenei's six-day funeral
Iran’s military command warned the United States and Israel not to strike during the six-day funeral for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, which is expected to draw up to 20 million people to the streets of Tehran starting 4 July.
Authorities in the Islamic Republic have orchestrated an elaborate funeral for the 86-year-old ayatollah, who was killed in the 28 February missile strikes that opened the US-Israeli war on Iran. The ceremony, originally set for early March, was postponed until a fragile ceasefire took hold on 8 April. Now it is being choreographed as a show of strength and national unity, with processions across Iran and into Iraq.
The funeral’s scale and schedule
Acting Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani told Iranian media the event would be “the largest assembly in the history of the capital.” Organisers expect between 15 and 20 million mourners in Tehran alone. Three days of official mourning will start on Saturday, shutting down businesses and work in the capital. The body will then travel to Qom on 7 July, the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on 8 July, and Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace, for burial on 9 July.
- US and Israel launch strikes; Khamenei killed in his Tehran compound
- Ceasefire between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition comes into effect
- Washington and Tehran sign a memorandum of understanding
- Three days of official mourning begin in Tehran
- Funeral prayers and procession in Qom, led by a senior Shiite cleric
- Processions in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala
- Burial near the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad
Military warning to the West
Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of the armed forces’ Khatam al-Anbiya command centre, said Iran would “respond severely to any threat or aggression” during the ceremonies.
The warning followed a statement by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz that the new supreme leader, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, was a legitimate target. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier threatened an “immediate and harsh” reply.We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the United States and the Zionist regime, to avoid any miscalculation and to reflect on the harsh reprisal our armed forces would take.
A fragile peace and indirect talks
The funeral unfolds against a delicate diplomatic backdrop. A ceasefire has held since 8 April, and a memorandum of understanding was signed on 17 June. Qatar-mediated technical talks resumed in Doha over frozen Iranian assets, reportedly worth $12 billion, and the management of the Strait of Hormuz. The two sides disagree on the agenda: Iran says the discussions cover the return of its funds, while Washington insists the central topic is the strait. Negotiations are expected to continue after the mourning period.
Iran says it will manage the Strait of Hormuz itself. No other country, not the United States, not France, can intervene. That is their red line.
Khamenei’s legacy and domestic divisions
The ayatollah led Iran for 37 years, exercising what historian Mehrzad Boroujerdi called “pronounced micromanagement.” His tenure saw deepening sanctions, corruption, and waves of unrest, including the 2009 Green Movement and the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests.
Officials now hope the mass mobilisation will paper over those internal rifts. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on “all Iranian people” to attend and declared that “the nation’s call for revenge must be heard by the entire world.”Khamenei intervened in almost every area of policy and administration, and during his time the country grew more isolated and discontent spread through wider layers of society.
Successor’s possible debut
Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as supreme leader in March but has not appeared publicly. He was wounded in the same strike that killed his father and has communicated only through written statements. A public appearance at the ceremonies would mark his first since assuming authority, and the military’s warning is partly seen as shielding that moment.
