A woman holds a photo of Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a rally in Tehran. ReutersA woman holds a photo of Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a rally in Tehran. ReutersFormer supreme leader was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in late FebruaryThe NationalJune 02, 2026HeadphonesBookmarkIranian officials have announced plans for a massive funeral procession for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.Tehran’s deputy mayor for social and cultural affairs, Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, said on Tuesday that authorities were planning three days of “public farewell and funeral ceremonies”, with events scheduled in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad. No date for the funeral has been announced. The procession in Tehran alone is expected to last for at least 24 hours, Mr Tavakolizadeh said, with preparations under way to host up to 20 million people. He called on neighbouring provinces and districts along the procession route to prepare for large numbers people.Mr Tavakolizadeh said the funeral would be an “unprecedented event” because of Mr Khamenei’s political and religious stature.Mr Khamenei was killed on February 28, aged 86, in the first wave of joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities that ignited the war that has since engulfed the Middle East. He had served as supreme leader since 1989 and was the ultimate authority over the country's military, judiciary and political system. As supreme leader, Mr Khamenei stood above the president and had the final say over Iran’s armed forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His position made him the central figure in shaping Iran’s domestic policy and international relations. His second-oldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed as his successor in early March. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, believed to have been injured in the attack that killed his father, has not been seen in public or heard from directly since he was appointed, raising questions about his health and whereabouts. The difficulty in contacting him is reportedly one of several challenges that the US is facing in its negotiations with Tehran, according to America's UN ambassador Mike Waltz.Updated: June 02, 2026, 3:28 PMMost popular today12345678910