Tehran will open its largest state funeral on July 4, honoring former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after his assassination in a U.S.‑Israeli strike. The six‑day mourning will span Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad, turning the capital into a rallying point for the regime to showcase resilience. The ceremony kicks off Saturday at the Grand Mosalla.

Iran prepares to host 15 to 20 million mourners, prompting the army, navy, and air force to deploy across borders for crowd control. Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said the air defence keeps continuous surveillance, while police coordinate traffic in the capital's streets. The state aims to avoid the 2005 crowd tragedy that claimed dozens of lives during a funeral procession.

Diplomacy buzzes as Pakistan, Russia, China and 90 religious delegations attend. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed presence amid talks that saw Doha meetings between U.S. and Iran, advancing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Simultaneously, Iran lodged a formal protest with UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened the new Supreme Leader, prompting Tehran to warn it will defend sovereignty.