Mashhad, July 10: Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad on Friday, bringing to an end a seven-day funeral procession that Iranian authorities said drew more than 15 million mourners across Iran and Iraq.
Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly 37 years, was killed in the opening phase of the Iran war during coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28. His funeral ceremonies began in Tehran before moving through the holy cities of Qom, Najaf and Karbala, and concluded with burial in Mashhad, making him only the second Iranian ruler after Nader Shah to be buried in the northeastern city.
The state funeral, one of the largest in Iran’s recent history, was marked by massive public gatherings, extensive security arrangements and the closure of roads and airspace in several cities. Thousands of mourners carried portraits of Khamenei and waved Iranian flags as funeral processions passed through major religious centres.
However, the funeral concluded under the shadow of renewed military escalation in the Middle East.
The United States launched fresh airstrikes across Iran early Thursday, targeting about 90 sites that Washington said were linked to Tehran’s military capabilities and threats to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said the operation was intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to disrupt international shipping.
Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards several US-allied countries in the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan. Air defence systems intercepted most of the incoming projectiles, although Kuwait reported one person injured by falling debris.
Iran’s Health Ministry said the latest wave of US strikes killed at least 14 people and injured 78 others, most of them members of the armed forces.
Iranian officials also accused the United States of carrying out strikes near the country’s only nuclear power plant at Bushehr, although US Central Command did not confirm targeting the facility.
The renewed exchange of attacks has raised fears that the fragile ceasefire announced last month could collapse completely.
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and warned of a stronger military response if such incidents continued.
“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse,” Trump said on social media.
Iran rejected the accusations and maintained that it would respond to any military action targeting the country. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said, “If you strike, you’ll get hit,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held consultations with regional leaders, including counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Oman, in an apparent effort to reduce tensions.
Despite the renewed violence, diplomatic efforts to negotiate a permanent ceasefire are expected to resume following the completion of Khamenei’s funeral. The talks are expected to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing regional tensions and addressing Iran’s nuclear programme.
The latest developments underscore the fragile security situation in the Middle East, with the risk of a broader regional conflict remaining high despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
