Iran has announced it will hold funeral processions for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei next month, as international mediators dangled the prospects of an end to Middle East conflict. Iran’s state-run news television, IRIB, reported Saturday that funeral processions, burial and farewell ceremony for Khamenei has been scheduled to be held between July 4 and July 9. The timing of the ceremonies, which will take place over a six-day period, is significant as it aligns with religious observances in Iran, where such events often draw large crowds and are marked by public displays of mourning. Khamenei was killed in the initial wave of strikes unleashed by the Israel and the United States on February 28, plunging the Middle East into a conflict that has stretched on to more than 100 days. His death marked a key moment in the escalating tensions between Iran and its regional adversaries, with the strike itself drawing condemnation from both the Iranian government and international observers who questioned the legality of the operation. Iran has replaced Khamenei with his son Mojtaba, who is even less compromising, according to an AP report. Mojtaba’s leadership is expected to further harden Iran’s stance in negotiations, as he has long been associated with a more confrontational approach to foreign policy compared to his father.
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Pakistan, which initiated talks between the US and Iran after the Middle East conflict began, has said a deal aimed at a closure to the protracted war is in sight. “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X. The “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” remains a focal point, though details remain undisclosed. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also said in a post that “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer. Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content.” The AP report cited three regional officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying they expect a signing ceremony for the agreement in the coming days after Washington and Tehran give the final consent. These officials emphasized that both sides are now at a stage where logistical and procedural hurdles are the only obstacles to a formal agreement, with no fundamental disagreements remaining in principle.
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There have been confusing statements also from both sides about a possible pact. “Commitments made must be commitments kept. No ifs, no buts, no excuses. For the close deal ahead, there is no other way,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker wrote on X. “You reap what you sow,” Ghalibaf, who is also Iran’s chief negotiator, posted in a cryptic message.
