The End of an Era: The Death and Burial of Sayyed Ali Khamenei

• On 28 February 2026, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, marking a major turning point in Iranian history.
• Following the assassination, the Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader.
• A multi-stage funeral process took place from 3 to 10 July 2026, spanning Iran and Iraq, before his burial at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad.

Biography and Early Career

• Born on 19 April 1939 in Mashhad, Khamenei studied theology under influential figures like Khomeini and Allameh Tabatabai.
• During the 1960s and 1970s, he actively opposed the Pahlavi regime, facing multiple arrests and exile to Iranshahr.
• Post-1979 revolution, he served as a member of the Revolutionary Council, Tehran's Friday prayer leader, and a member of parliament.
• He survived an assassination attempt by the Forqan group in 1981, which left his right hand permanently disabled; he subsequently served two terms as President from 1981 to 1989.

Leadership (1989–2026)

• After Khomeini's death in 1989, he became Supreme Leader, holding the post for 36 years.
• His tenure focused on regional crisis management, military and missile self-sufficiency, and the development of "strategic depth" through allied groups in the Middle East.
• His final year in power was marked by significant internal unrest, with the 2025–2026 protests resulting in thousands of deaths.

Death and Funeral Proceedings

• The 28 February 2026 strike killed Khamenei, several family members, and caused at least 201 deaths nationally, including students at schools such as the Shajareh Tayyebeh institute.
• Funeral plans were repeatedly delayed due to wartime security concerns; a farewell ceremony in Tehran was initially proposed for March but postponed.
• Funeral rites lasted from 3 to 10 July 2026 under the theme "We Must Rise."
• The procession moved through Tehran, Qom, and Iraqi cities (Baghdad, Kadhimiya, Najaf, and Karbala) before returning to Mashhad for burial at the shrine of Imam Reza on 9 July 2026.