The funeral of Ali Khamenei has become more than a state ceremony. It is the culmination of a 127-day campaign to transform a political leader into a sacred figure, revealing both the Islamic Republic's immense propaganda machinery and the fractures within its ruling establishment.
The strike that killed Iran's so-called Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, took place on 28 February 2026. Iranian state media confirmed his death in the early hours of 1 March, at around 5 a.m. Tehran time (UTC+3:30). According to official reports, the attack itself lasted no more than 60 seconds. Yet, 127 days after the assassination, preparations for his funeral continue on an unprecedented scale.
During these four months, the Islamic Republic, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has left no stone unturned in its efforts to elevate the assassinated leader to a status approaching that of a sacred, even divine, figure.
Just after midnight on Tuesday, 30 June, a reporter on state television declared: "This is where our martyred Imam will be laid to rest. On that day, no place on earth will witness a greater gathering. A divine figure has left this world. A brilliant star has vanished from our sky. The sun that dispelled the darkness of our nights has set."
