Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried on July 9, 2026, in the city of Mashhad after a six-day funeral that took his body through Iran's holiest cities and into Iraq. Khamenei had died nearly four months earlier in strikes that also killed several family members. All of their remains traveled together during the funeral processions.

Iranian officials had announced the funeral schedule weeks before. The ceremonies began July 4 and ended with burial on July 9, exactly as planned. Mashhad was chosen as the burial location because of its religious significance—Imam Reza's tomb, one of the most sacred sites in Shia Islam, is there.

The first public viewing happened July 2, when Khamenei's casket was shown to families of others killed in the war. The main funeral ceremonies started July 3. His coffin, wrapped in the Iranian flag, was carried through the streets as part of a journey that would cover multiple cities.

On July 4, the remains arrived in Tehran, Iran's capital, where huge crowds gathered. The body stayed for three days at a major mosque, displayed alongside the remains of his family members, including his daughter. The funeral procession stretched across the entire city, from one end to the other. Then it moved to the city of Qom on Tuesday, then to Mashhad on Thursday. By the time the funeral reached Mashhad, hundreds of thousands of people had gathered.

The funeral also included ceremonies in Iraq's cities of Najaf and Karbala, which are also holy to Shia Muslims. This extended the mourning across two countries. During this entire period, Iran essentially shut down—streets were closed, flights were grounded, and normal life paused.

One striking thing stood out during all six days: Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei's son and the new supreme leader, did not show up. He did not lead prayers at any of the services, and news reports say he did not attend the funeral at all. His other brothers did attend.

In Iran's religious tradition, it would be very unusual for a new supreme leader to miss his predecessor's funeral—especially one this large and important. His absence raises questions. It could be for security reasons, or it could be a deliberate choice to distance himself from the event. Without more information, it's hard to say what the absence means.

What is clear is that the funeral was meant to show that Iran's system and its traditions would continue despite the change in leadership. The government organized a full state funeral at a historic holy site, with officials from Iraq's religious cities attending. All of this happened while the new leader stayed away—and that contradiction will probably spark discussion about what happens next in Iran.