Middle East live: Iran prepares to say final goodbye to Supreme Leader Khamenei
Iran has warned the United States and Israel against any attack as the country prepares for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the first day of the…
LiveMiddle EastIssued on: 03/07/2026 - 05:05By:A member of the Basij paramilitary forces walks past a large banner depicting Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during preparations for a farewell ceremony Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, in Tehran, Iran, 2 July 2026. © Mohammed Salem, ReutersIran has warned the United States and Israel against any attack as the country prepares for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the first day of the war. Authorities expect between 15 and 20 million people to attend in Tehran alone for this three-day tribute, which begins Saturday. Once it concludes, negotiations between Tehran and Washington will resume. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Yesterday's key developments:Syria has sought to reassure Lebanon it would not intervene in the country, during a visit by Syria's foreign minister to Beirut. The New York Timessays that US officials believedIsraelmay have been planning to kill Iranian negotiators while they were engaged in talks with Washington this spring. The US believed that two senior Iranians were particular targets – Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament. Israelis called for a state commission of inquiry intoHamas's October 7, 2023 attack, as the country marked 1,000 days since the deadliest event in its history with a series of commemorations and protests. Lebanese PresidentJoseph Aoundefended negotiations with Israel, saying they were not a betrayal and he would not surrender "a single inch ofLebanon's territory", according to the presidency. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)Keywords for this article