Crowds Gather in Tehran for Ayatollah’s Funeral Procession

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Tens of thousands of Iranians have viewed the casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was exalted by some and despised by others. He was killed four months ago at the start of the U.S.-Israeli attacks.

Huge crowds were amassing in the Iranian capital, Tehran, for the third consecutive day on Monday to mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, who ruled his country for decades with an iron fist before he was killed in the war with the United States and Israel.

The ayatollah’s body is expected to be carried through the city in a public procession. Later this week, it will be borne to several cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq that are significant to Shiite Muslims, before being buried in his hometown, Mashhad.

Grieving supporters of Iran’s Islamic Republic have wept and called for revenge as they viewed the casket of the killed leader since the funeral ceremonies began on Saturday. On Sunday, tens of thousands of mourners, including senior Iranian officials, packed Tehran for prayers for the slain supreme leader.

Though he was exalted by many, Ayatollah Khamenei was also despised by numerous other Iranians for presiding over an authoritarian state that brutally crushed dissent. Earlier this year, Iranian security forces suppressed mass antigovernment protests, killing thousands, according to Iranian officials and human rights groups.

For Iran’s current leaders, the mass funeral has served in part as a show of national unity around the deceased leader. But his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been conspicuously absent from the ceremonies.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since succeeding his father, who was killed when Israeli forces bombarded Ayatollah Khamenei’s compound on the first day of the war in late February. And his absence from the funeral ceremonies has emerged as a point of scrutiny for Iran’s leadership as they seek to project stability and continuity. Iran Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman and Abdi Latif Dahir | Monday, July 6, 2026

Why Iran's Unseen Leader Remains in the Shadows • FRANCE 24 English

July 5, 2026 | The images emerging from Tehran are striking. Tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black have gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla for the funeral and lying in state of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his assassination on the opening day of a war between Iran and the United States on February 28. Negar Mortazavi is an Iranian-American journalist, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, and host of the Iran Podcast.

Mourners Chant ‘Revenge’ at Funeral Prayers for Iran’s Slain Supreme Leader

THE NEW YORK TIMES: On the second day of public mourning for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in February, there was still no sign of his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei.

This screenshot is from this NYT article. | Mourners gathered to pray for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s slain supreme leader, during the second day of funeral ceremonies at the Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran on Sunday.Credit...Atta Kenare/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Tens of thousands of mourners, including senior Iranian officials, packed Tehran on Sunday for funeral prayers for the slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as crowds chanted calls for revenge.

Among those in attendance for the second day of mourning for his death, according to footage broadcast on state media, were the brothers of the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. But the leader himself has not been seen in public since succeeding his father, who was killed at the onset of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February.

Ahmad Vahidi, the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also attended the prayers. He emerged from the sprawling Grand Mosalla mosque complex to mourners, many clad in black, who surged toward him.

“Revenge, revenge,” they chanted, a scene that was observed by New York Times reporters near him. Mr. Vahidi briefly greeted people before security personnel whisked him away. » | Abdi Latif Dahir | Reporting from Tehran | Sunday, July 5, 2026

Huge Crowds Mass in Tehran for Ayatollah’s State Funeral

THE NEW YORK TIMES: As days of public mourning ceremonies began, Iranians viewed the casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed four months ago at the start of the U.S.-Israeli attacks.

Huge crowds of Iranians gathered on Saturday to view the casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at an elaborate state funeral for the Iranian supreme leader, who dominated Iran for decades before being killed in the U.S.-Israeli war in late February.

Tens of thousands of people began arriving at dawn at the Grand Mosalla mosque in the capital, Tehran, for the start of six days of public ceremonies. Millions are expected to participate in the funeral as Ayatollah Khamenei’s body is transported to cities across the country.

Journalists for The New York Times at the event saw grieving supporters erupt in tears at the sight of the caskets of Ayatollah Khamenei and of several family members who were killed along with him, including his daughter and two grandchildren. Encased in glass and draped in Iranian flags, the caskets were placed atop a stage, with the ayatollah’s coffin positioned above the others.

It is a turbulent moment for Iran, which has spiraled from crisis to crisis. Huge antigovernment protests earlier this year were met with a brutal government crackdown, followed by months of war with the United States and Israel. Israeli airstrikes killed Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other top Iranian leaders, on the first day of the conflict.

While Ayatollah Khamenei’s supporters mourn him, many other Iranians view the lengthy and expensive funeral program with anger. Over 37 years of authoritarian rule, he harshly repressed dissent and allowed economic mismanagement and corruption to fester.

His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been named the country’s new supreme leader. It is unclear whether the son would attend the funeral; he has not been publicly seen since his appointment.

The funeral ceremonies, which overlapped with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, are taking place more than four months after Ayatollah Khamenei was killed, in the wake of a U.S.-Iran cease-fire signed last month. Analysts say the Iranian authorities were probably wary of organizing a mourning event featuring senior leaders when the threat of U.S. or Israeli attacks loomed.

After a procession in Tehran on Monday, his body will be taken to the city of Qom and then on to Karbala and Najaf in Iraq; all three cities hold sacred significance for Shiite Muslims. On Thursday, his remains will be buried in his hometown, Mashhad.

The event in Tehran was intended as a show of strength for Iran’s Islamic Republic, which survived despite U.S. and Israeli hopes for regime change. Conservative supporters of Ayatollah Khamenei said they had slept in their cars overnight to avoid missing the ceremony.

But there were signs of criticism from religious hard-liners who see the cease-fire with the United States as a capitulation. Some mourners carried a banner that read, “What happened to revenge for the blood of our martyred Imam?” a reference to the ayatollah, according to video posted by Iran’s state broadcaster. » | Abdi Latif Dahir, Aaron Boxerman, Yeganeh Torbati and James C. McKinley Jr. | Saturday, July 4, 2026

Israel's 'Kill First' Strategy Is Now Aimed at Turkey | The David Hearst Podcast

Jul 2, 2026 | David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye, says that Donald Trump has signed two contradictory agreements to end his war on Iran. One promises an “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”, while the other gives Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon indefinite leave to remain.

Hearst says the Lebanon framework weakens Lebanese sovereignty, creates a military coordination group run from Washington, and obliges the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah, which many in Lebanon see as the only credible deterrent against Israeli attack.

He says that Lebanon has also granted immunity to Israeli troops and generals for war crimes committed during the invasion. He says that the contradiction reflects a tug of war inside the US administration. The Iran deal reflects the thinking of Vice President JD Vance, who opposed regime change in Tehran, while the Lebanon deal bears the imprint of Marco Rubio, who remains committed to that project.

Hearst argues that Israel’s failure to dictate terms to Iran has pushed it to regain power in Lebanon and Syria. But he says Israel is already turning its attention to Turkey, now presenting it as the “new Iran” and warning of a new Sunni axis involving Turkey, Syria and Qatar.

He concludes that Israel means what it says when Netanyahu vows to change the Middle East forever. The main battle line is now shifting to Lebanon and Syria, and hard power will be needed to stop Israel’s strategy of “kill them first”.

Mass Mournings, 6 Days and 2 Countries: Iran Prepares to Bury Supreme Leader

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Long-delayed funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed during U.S.-Israeli strikes at the war’s outset, are set to begin Friday. For the regime, it is a critical moment to demonstrate that it has endured.

There are few analogues in history for the size, scale and import of the funeral that Iran’s government is preparing to hold for its slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Starting Friday in the capital, Tehran, and running for nearly a week, with ceremonies planned in at least five cities across Iran and Iraq, the funeral is expected to draw tens of millions of people, government officials have said.

Perhaps more striking than the funeral’s complexity and scope is its symbolism at this moment. It comes more than four months after Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in February at the outset of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and six months after Iran was gripped by nationwide protests calling for an end to his government.

While millions of mourners are expected to turn out next week, many Iranians remain deeply dissatisfied with what Ayatollah Khamenei’s reign brought to their country over nearly four decades of authoritarian rule. He oversaw brutal repression, including the imprisonment, torture and killing of dissidents, and presided over widening corruption and the increasing control of much of Iran’s wealth by its security forces.

When it became clear that he had been killed, some in Iran celebrated openly, at great risk to themselves.

Ayatollah Khamenei was not only Iran’s head of state. He also presented himself as an authoritative Shiite Muslim cleric. He had devotees in Iraq and Lebanon, where his portrait is often seen at Shiite rallies, as well as in Pakistan and other countries in the region. » | Yeganeh Torbati | Thursday, July 2, 2026

Iranian Clerics Call for Trump’s Assassination

THE TELEGRAPH: ‘Religious duty’ to kill US president and Israeli PM ‘must not be neglected’, says Tehran’s Assembly of Experts

Iran’s most senior clerics have called for the assassination of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a 10-point statement, the Assembly of Experts said the killing of “the criminal American president” and “the wicked prime minister of the Zionist regime” was a religious duty.

Assassinating the two leaders – whom they described as mahdour al-dam, or deserving of death – “must not be neglected under any circumstances”.

The call to action came despite Washington and Tehran having signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Middle East war, which broke out on Feb 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. » | Akhtar Makoii | Akhtar Makoii is a foreign correspondent for The Telegraph based in London | Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Trump kündigt Treffen mit Iran in Doha an – Teheran spricht von freigegebenen Vermögen

BERLINER ZEITUNG: US-Präsident Trump kündigt für Dienstag neue Verhandlungen mit Teheran in Katar an. Irans Präsident spricht derweil von der baldigen Freigabe von Milliarden eingefrorener Gelder.

Die USA und der Iran wollen ihre Gespräche nach Angaben von US-Präsident Donald Trump am Dienstag in Katars Hauptstadt Doha fortsetzen. „Der Iran hat um ein Treffen gebeten. Es findet morgen in Doha statt“, schrieb Trump am Montag auf seiner Plattform Truth Social. Aus Teheran wurde die Ankündigung jedoch nicht bestätigt.

Der iranische Vizeaußenminister Kasem Gharibabadi erklärte laut der staatlichen Nachrichtenagentur Irna zudem, Berichte über technische Gespräche der Arbeitsgruppen in Doha seien „nicht bestätigt“. Konsultationen mit Katar liefen wie gewohnt weiter.

Die Sprecherin des Weißen Hauses, Karoline Leavitt, teilte dem Sender Fox News derweil mit, Trumps Sondergesandter Steve Witkoff und sein Schwiegersohn Jared Kushner würden zu hochrangigen Treffen nach Doha reisen. » | Sophie Barkey | Montag, 29. Juni 2026

U.S. Strikes Iran in Retaliation for Attack on Vessel in Strait of Hormuz

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump on Friday called Iran’s attack on a container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier a “foolish” act.

The U.S. military said it launched strikes on Iran on Friday in retaliation for an Iranian attack in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier, hours after President Trump called the Iranian action a “foolish violation” of the fragile cease-fire between the two countries.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that it had struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites as a “powerful response” to the Iranian attack on Thursday.

The extent of damage from the new U.S. strikes was not immediately clear. A U.S. defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly, described the strikes as a retaliatory measure and not a restart of major combat operations.

The strikes on Friday concluded after about 90 minutes, a U.S. official said, and included strikes by American fighter jets against four Iranian sites along the Strait of Hormuz and on Qeshm Island, a U.S. official said.

Iran’s security forces claimed that in response to the American attacks on Friday, Tehran had struck U.S. Army positions in the region. There was no immediate confirmation from the U.S. military of such strikes.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement carried by state media that the U.S. strikes had violated the cease-fire, and warned that if such aggression “is repeated, our response will be more extensive.” » | Helene Cooper, Euan Ward, Jenny Gross and Pranav Baskar | Helene Cooper reported from Washington. | Friday, June 26, 2026

Guerre au Moyen-Orient : l’Iran décrète trois jours fériés à Téhéran pour les funérailles de l’ayatollah Ali Khamenei

LE FIGARO : Un hommage national est prévu à Téhéran du 4 au 6 juillet, période durant laquelle « tout sera fermé » dans la ville, a déclaré la télévision d’État.

Les autorités iraniennes ont décrété mardi 23 juin trois jours fériés en juillet à Téhéran pour les funérailles de l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, qui a dirigé l'Iran pendant près de 37 ans avant d'être tué par des frappes israélo-américaines le 28 février. Un hommage national est prévu à Téhéran du 4 au 6 juillet, période durant laquelle « tout sera fermé » dans la ville, a déclaré à la télévision d'État un responsable de l'organisation, Hassan Hassanzadeh. Une foule de près de « 20 millions de personnes » est attendue, selon le maire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 23 juin 2026

Iran : une chanteuse et son groupe condamnés à 74 coups de fouet chacun pour un concert

LE FIGARO : En Iran, les femmes n’ont pas le droit de chanter en public. Elles sont en outre tenues de porter des tenues couvrantes ne révélant pas leurs formes et de porter le voile.

Un tribunal iranien a condamné la chanteuse Parastoo Ahmadi et sept autres artistes à 74 coups de fouet chacun pour avoir diffusé un concert sur YouTube, selon sa vidéaste et un média local.

Dans cette prestation, retransmise en direct en décembre 2024 et en ligne depuis, Parastoo Ahmadi interprétait des chansons empreintes de force et de mélancolie devant une salle vide, sur une scène faiblement éclairée et décorée d'un simple tapis persan, dans l'enceinte d'un caravansérail traditionnel.

Elle était accompagnée d'un pianiste, d'un batteur, d'un guitariste et d'un bassiste, tous vêtus de noir, tandis qu'elle portait une longue robe à bretelles, les lèvres maquillées en rouge. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 21 juin 2026

En frappant le Liban, Benyamin Netanyahou défie l’accord iranien de Donald Trump

Cette capture d'écran provient de cet article du Figaro. | Pour Benyamin Netanyahou, l’accord voulu par Donald Trump s’apparente à un désastre sécuritaire mais aussi politique Jonathan Ernst / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Marginalisé par l’accord entre Washington et Téhéran, le premier ministre israélien tente de préserver son image de chef de guerre. Mais ce choix, largement soutenu par l’opinion israélienne, menace de devenir le principal point de friction avec la Maison-Blanche.

Le dossier libanais continue d’empoisonner l’accord américano-iranien. Les dernières frappes israéliennes sur le Liban du Sud ont conduit la délégation iranienne à annuler au dernier moment sa venue en Suisse pour signer le mémorandum d’entente entre les États-Unis et l’Iran, censé ouvrir soixante jours de négociations vers un accord plus durable.

Car si Benyamin Netanyahou a perdu la main sur le dossier iranien, le premier ministre israélien, en difficulté politique à quelques mois des élections, tente de la garder au Liban. Alors que Donald Trump veut transformer son accord avec Téhéran en victoire diplomatique, Benyamin Netanyahou défie son parrain américain en poursuivant ses bombardements contre le Hezbollah au Liban. Vendredi, les frappes israéliennes ont causé au moins 18 morts selon le ministère de la Santé libanais, tandis que quatre soldats israéliens ont été tués par le groupe armé chiite. Le premier ministre israélien a affirmé que ses troupes resteraient dans le sud du Liban « aussi longtemps que nécessaire. »

Depuis la signature du mémorandum d’entente, le front libanais concentre toutes les ambiguïtés du moment. Sur le papier, Washington veut obtenir une désescalade régionale : suspension des hostilités, relance du dialogue nucléaire, stabilisation des fronts liés à l’Iran – dont le Liban. Sur le terrain, Israël entend conserver une liberté d’action complète contre le Hezbollah, qu’il accuse de reconstruire ses capacités militaires au sud du Litani. » | Par Stanislas Poyet Correspondant à Jérusalem | vendredi 19 juin 2026

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US-Iran Ceasefire Under Strain as Fighting Flares in Lebanon | DW News

Jun 19, 2026 | Ongoing fighting in Lebanon could undermine a ceasefire between the US and Iran. Hours after US President Donald Trump warned all parties to respect a peace deal, Israel launched deadly attacks in southern Lebanon while four Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. Meanwhile talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland have been postponed. So are Israel and the militant group Hezbollah undermining the deal? Was it set up to fail?

Did Trump Just Versailles America?

Jun 19, 2026 | This week’s Elephant in the Room is Trump’s humiliation at Versailles. After months of threats, chest-thumping, and promises of strength against Iran, Trump arrived claiming leverage and left defending a deal that has critics asking whether America gained anything at all.

Rick Wilson breaks down the symbolism of Versailles, the political fallout of Trump’s Iran reversal, the growing cracks inside MAGA, and why this moment may be remembered as one of the defining foreign policy embarrassments of his presidency. History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes—and this week, the rhyme scheme sounded a lot like surrender.


Strong language alert!

US-Iran Agreement Leaves Israelis 'in Profound State of Shock' • FRANCE 24 English

Jun 18, 2026 | Israeli leaders are privately fuming about the US-Iran deal, seeing the initial agreement as a form of capitulation. This comes as a final blow to the increasingly fraying relationship between Netanyahu and Trump, previously thought thought to be iron-clad. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky tells us more.

Les États-Unis, cette superpuissance qui n’a pas réussi à gagner la guerre contre l’Iran

LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - Après trois mois de frappes intensives contre l’Iran et malgré la menace de reprise des hostilités, les États-Unis ne sont pas parvenus à imposer leur volonté au régime iranien.

Face à l’Iran, les États-Unis ont montré les limites de leur surpuissance militaire. Donald Trump avait promis une « capitulation sans conditions » du régime iranien lors de la guerre des 12 jours lancée l’année dernière. Il avait proclamé avoir détruit le programme nucléaire de Téhéran (« obliterated »). En lançant Fureur épique, le 28 février, le milliardaire s’était laissé convaincre d’en finir avec la menace iranienne. Il avait déployé « une armada » pour faire plier son adversaire, appuyée par l’armée israélienne, l’une des plus performantes du monde.

Mais après cent jours de conflit et de laborieuses négociations, le régime de Téhéran est toujours en place, son contrôle du détroit d’Ormuz toujours revendiqué, ses capacités militaires, balistique et drones, toujours suffisantes pour être crédibles et le démantèlement de ses ambitions nucléaires encore à négocier. « Quelles que soient les pertes, le régime iranien, parce qu’il a résisté, peut revendiquer une victoire », observe une source militaire française. « L’histoire jugera l’accord final… », soupire un autre haut gradé en constatant les renoncements américains. « L’Iran a très bien joué », ajoute-t-il. » | Par Nicolas Barotte | jeudi 18 juin 2026

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Democracy Now! Trump's War on Iran Ends with a "Triumphant" Tehran

Jun 18, 2026 | The United States and Iran have officially signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war in Iran. The 14-point agreement includes an immediate end to fighting on all fronts including Lebanon, an end to the U.S. naval blockade on Iran and the full resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. It also proposes easing oil sanctions on Iran, unfreezing Iranian assets and launching a $300 billion investment fund to rebuild Iran, all while tabling the question of Iran’s nuclear program, which is instead set to be negotiated over in the coming months.

“The United States is more eager for this war to end than Iran is,” says Professor Vali Nasr, who teaches at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “In Iran, they’re very triumphant.” We discuss the long-term effects of the war, from the growing U.S. distrust of Israel, to the new generation of political leaders in the Islamic Republic, to the evolution of Iran into a major power player in an increasingly multipolar world.


Democracy Now! can be supported here.

Donald Trump Is a Decrepit Narcissist Who Has Lost Control of Himself and His MAGA Coalition.

Steve Schmidt gives us the low down.

Ambassador John Bolton on Why the Iran War Is Nothing But a US ‘Political Defeat’

Jun 17, 2026 | Andrew Marr speaks to Ambassador John Bolton and Exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, about whether the US-Iran peace deal actually marks the end of the conflict.

Bolton sees it as less of a ‘peace deal’ and more a ‘political surrender’. Despite Trump’s attempts to spin the narrative, the Ambassador thinks it’s a ‘significant political defeat’ for the US.

Donald Trump has said he doesn’t believe in Iranian regime change but warned 'all hell will rain down' if it breaks a newly agreed peace deal.

Speaking at the G7 conference today, the US president threatened to continue their bombing campaign if Iran ‘doesn’t behave’.

Speaking from the perspective of Iran, Reza Pahlavi says the ‘fight is not over’ until the complete liberation of his people from the IRGC.

Donald Trump Is on His Last Legs | Steve Schmidt

Jun 17, 2026 | Donald Trump's health is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Steve Schmidt breaks down Trump's shocking physical collapse and why JD Vance is not fit to replace him.

I wouldn’t trust JD Vance any more than I would trust a viper! Having Trump at the helm has been, is, and will continue to be bad enough. Having JD Vance at the helm would be an even bigger nightmare! He is also an incessant liar. If he ever becomes POTUS, it will be one of the greatest career trajectories in history: from son of a junky to the White House! Wow! Talk about aiming for the stars… — a journey from the abyss to the stratosphere! — © Mark Alexander