09/07/2026 16:17 - Internacionales
On July 9, 2026, the Iranian regime will hold the state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who passed away on February 28, 2026, at the age of 86 following Israeli and US airstrikes. For those unfamiliar with the region, the ceremony is scheduled for 14:00 at the Imam Reza Shrine in his hometown of Mashhad—a major holy city in northeastern Iran. The event was rescheduled due to delays in previous ceremonies held in Iraq.
According to Mashhad's governor, Hassan Hosseini, an estimated 15 million people could attend the funeral. The coffin's procession previously traveled through Tehran, Qom, and the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. Global attention is focused on Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son and designated successor, who was reportedly injured in the attack and has not yet made public appearances.
It is important to note that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a powerful branch of Iran's armed forces, tasked with protecting the country's Islamic political system. According to an analysis by DW Español, Khamenei's death marks a profound institutional transformation.
During the funeral acts, the three former presidents (Rouhani, Ahmadinejad, and Khatami) were notably absent, highlighting instead figures from the security apparatus and the IRGC. Acting President Massud Peseshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf played key roles in negotiations with the US that led to a ceasefire in June. Experts suggest the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba, inherits a system where military institutions now hold more weight than religious ones, though hopes remain for a stabilization of the country's internal politics.
The funeral unfolds in a context of extreme tension. After former US President Donald Trump announced the end of a ceasefire from the NATO summit in Ankara, the United States bombed 90 military targets in Iran. This was in retaliation for attacks on navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime chokepoint between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which much of the world's oil passes.
In response, Tehran launched attacks against US military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that 20 US warships are currently patrolling Middle Eastern waters to ensure regional stability and freedom of navigation, offering a hopeful outlook for securing this crucial international trade route.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
