The final stage of the funeral procession and burial ceremony for Ali Khamenei, the former leader of the Islamic Republic, began in Mashhad on Thursday, July 9, 2026. State media reported that the aircraft carrying his coffin and family members entered Iranian airspace from Iraq, escorted by Army Air Force fighter jets, and was accompanied all the way to Mashhad.
According to official media announcements, the welcoming ceremony and funeral procession will begin at 14:00 from Imam Reza Street toward the shrine of the eighth Shia Imam. Furthermore, the funeral prayer over Khamenei’s body will be led by Hossein Noori Hamedani.
Concurrently, state-affiliated news agencies reported that Army MiG-29 fighter jets were flying over Mashhad, stating that these flights were being conducted to ensure the aerial security of the ceremony.
During the event, state media once again reported on the participation of children in official programs. Publishing reports and images, they wrote about what they termed “children’s pledges with the martyred leader of the revolution.” The involvement of children in the Islamic Republic’s ceremonial and promotional programs has previously drawn criticism from human rights organizations and child rights activists.
