Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a joint US–Israel strike, will be laid to rest in Mashhad, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.
Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city and one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam holds deep personal and religious significance for Khamenei. Born there in 1939 into a clerical family, he began his early religious studies in the city before moving to Qom. His father, a mid-ranking Shia cleric, is also buried at the revered Imam Reza shrine complex in Mashhad.
Following his killing, Iranian authorities have announced a 40-day national mourning period throughout the country.
Why Mashhad?
Mashhad, capital of Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, is home to the shrine of the eighth Shia Imam, Ali al-Rida, also known as Imam Reza. The shrine attracts nearly 30 million pilgrims annually, making it one of the most important religious centres in the Shia world.
The city also briefly served as the capital during the Afsharid dynasty. Given its spiritual stature and the Khamenei family’s longstanding association with the shrine, officials say the choice of burial site reflects both religious symbolism and personal history.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on its Telegram channel that a “large farewell ceremony” would be held in Tehran ahead of the burial in Mashhad. Media reports suggest the funeral could take place on Friday.
Succession: Who Takes Over?
According to Iran International, the powerful Assembly of Experts has chosen Khamenei’s second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the next Supreme Leader. The report claims the decision was made under pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Mojtaba Khamenei has never held public office and is not considered a senior cleric. However, he is widely believed to wield significant behind-the-scenes influence and maintains close ties with the IRGC. He served during the Iran-Iraq War and reportedly lost multiple family members including his father in the recent strikes.
Following Khamenei’s death, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said an interim leadership council had assumed responsibilities. The body includes Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei and Guardian Council member Alireza Arafi.
Also Read: Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Know All About Iran’s New Supreme Leader
A 36-Year Rule
Ali Khamenei was born Ali Hosseini Khamenei on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, into a religious family. He pursued Islamic theological studies in Mashhad and later in Qom, where he was influenced by revolutionary cleric Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Khamenei became actively involved in opposition to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and was detained multiple times before the monarchy was overthrown. After the revolution, he steadily rose through the ranks of the newly established Islamic Republic.
In 1981, amid the Iran-Iraq War under Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Khamenei was elected President of Iran. That same year, he survived an assassination attempt that left his right arm partially paralysed. He served as president until 1989.
Following Khomeini’s death in 1989, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed Khamenei as Supreme Leader, despite debate over his clerical standing. Over time, he consolidated power under the principle of Velayat-e Faqih (guardianship of the Islamic jurist), which places ultimate political and religious authority in the hands of the Supreme Leader.
In this role, he commanded the armed forces, appointed the heads of the judiciary and state broadcasting, and exercised decisive influence over foreign policy and national security. Although Iran continued to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, candidates were vetted by institutions aligned with his office.
His leadership spanned both reformist and conservative administrations, including those of Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hassan Rouhani, though ultimate authority remained concentrated with him.
In 2009, Khamenei endorsed the disputed re-election of Ahmadinejad, sparking widespread protests known as the Green Movement. Security forces suppressed the demonstrations, reinforcing the centralised power structure under the Supreme Leader.
On the international front, Khamenei pursued an assertive regional strategy, expanding Iran’s influence in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Tehran backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war, while relations with Israel remained openly hostile throughout his tenure.
Iran’s nuclear programme was a defining issue of his leadership. In 2015, Tehran reached a nuclear agreement with world powers under President Rouhani. However, US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, escalating tensions.
Facing prolonged economic pressure, Khamenei promoted a “resistance economy” aimed at reducing reliance on Western markets. His later years were marked by mounting economic challenges, inflation and recurring waves of unrest, including protests in 2009, 2019 and 2022.
Supporters portrayed him as a steadfast guardian of Iran’s sovereignty in the face of foreign pressure and sanctions.
With his burial set in Mashhad the city of his birth and religious upbringing Iran now enters a pivotal transition phase, both politically and symbolically.
Also Read: Israel Says It Has Struck Iran’s Presidential Complex As Middle East Conflict Escalates
US, Israel Confirm Strike
US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s death on Truth Social, calling it a decisive moment.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump wrote.
Reuters reported that Khamenei had met senior officials shortly before the strikes at a high-security compound in Tehran. Satellite imagery reviewed by the agency showed the compound destroyed in the opening phase of the operation.
US intelligence agencies had reportedly tracked Khamenei’s movements for months. According to media reports, the CIA shared intelligence with Israel indicating his presence at a high-level meeting in Tehran, prompting the timing of the strike to be advanced.
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