Iran is holding a massive funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's Supreme Leader. He was killed in February 2026 when the United States and Israel carried out air strikes on Iranian targets. He was 86.

The funeral ceremonies began Friday, July 3, and will last a week. An estimated 15 to 20 million people are expected to attend events across Iran and Iraq — with more than 10 million in Tehran alone, according to Al Jazeera. If these numbers happen, it will be the largest state funeral in modern history when you measure it against the country's population. More than 100 countries have sent officials to pay respects, despite the US reportedly trying to discourage them from attending, according to Press TV. Turkey is among those countries.

Khamenei's body remains on display through Sunday, July 5. The funeral continues with events outside Tehran before his burial in his hometown of Mashhad on July 10. The center of Tehran is locked down during this period for security reasons.

What We're Seeing on the Streets

Thousands of people dressed in black gathered Saturday, July 4, near Tehran's main mosque. They carried photographs of Khamenei and waved Iranian flags, according to Reuters. Some in the crowd chanted against the United States and called for revenge, per BBC reporting.

Two people at the funeral spoke to reporters about why they came. Reza, a 37-year-old teacher, said mourners had promised Khamenei they would stand by him to the end. Another man, 40-year-old Arash Rahimi, told Reuters that people came to get revenge for their leader, and that they now saw this as a blood feud with the United States. These are the thoughts of individuals, not official statements from Iran's government, but the language of blood revenge carries deep meaning in Persian and Middle Eastern culture.

At the same moment Iran is mourning its leader, President Donald Trump said this week that Iran's government wants to make a peace deal, reported by the BBC. He said the US gave Iran a week off "because we're nice." These two things point in opposite directions. The public on the streets is angry and wants revenge. The government, according to Trump, wants to end the fighting and negotiate.

Whoever becomes Iran's next leader will face this difficult balancing act. An angry public wants to fight back. But continuing the war is costly, and a peace deal might make economic sense. Iran's religious leaders, who have the power to choose the next Supreme Leader, have not yet announced who it will be.

The fact that so many countries sent people to the funeral, even after the US asked them not to, sends a message. Iran wants to show the world that it is not isolated or friendless. This matters because the new leader's authority will depend partly on appearing strong and connected internationally. How different countries decide to engage with Iran as it chooses new leadership will shape what happens next.