Iran will begin funeral ceremonies for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 4, with burial set for July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad, state media reported Saturday.

Khamenei was killed on February 28, the first day of Israeli and US airstrikes against Iran. The 86-year-old cleric had led the Islamic Republic for 36 years.

State media said the funeral program would also include ceremonies on July 7 in Qom, the holy city south of Tehran. Islamic law calls for burial as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours, though exceptions are permitted, including in wartime.

The strike that killed Khamenei destroyed his compound in central Tehran. His 56-year-old son, Mojtaba, who was wounded in the attack and whose wife was also killed, has succeeded him as supreme leader.

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