Tehran: Iran has postponed the public funeral ceremony of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country continues to reel under sustained bombardment by the United States and Israel. According to state media reports cited by France 24, the ceremony, which was earlier scheduled at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, has been deferred without a new date being announced.
Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Council, said authorities plan to hold a three-day public observance to allow citizens to pay their respects. However, details regarding the funeral procession will be made public at a later stage. The event had initially been slated to begin late Wednesday night, but officials offered no further clarification for the delay.
Amid speculation over Iran’s future leadership, the Iranian Consulate General in Mumbai dismissed reports suggesting that the Assembly of Experts had shortlisted successors. In a statement posted on X, the mission termed such claims “baseless” and lacking any official confirmation.
Meanwhile, Moscow has strongly criticised Washington and Tel Aviv for the spiralling conflict. Russia’s Foreign Ministry, through spokesperson Maria Zakharova, accused the US and Israel of triggering instability across the Middle East. In remarks shared online, she said Russia had launched diplomatic outreach from the outset of the hostilities, including calls between President Vladimir Putin and several Arab leaders, as well as consultations by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Zakharova also urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to deliver an objective assessment of potential radiological risks following reported strikes on Iranian facilities. She warned against minimising what she described as a serious threat and questioned the humanitarian cost of the attacks, including reports of civilian casualties.
Iranian officials have likewise escalated their rhetoric. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, alleged that the conflict had led to heavy American troop losses and criticised former US President Donald Trump for what he described as drawing the United States into an “unjust war” alongside Israel.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned what it called an attempted ballistic missile strike targeting Turkiye, adding another layer of tension to the already volatile regional landscape.
Energy security concerns are mounting across Europe. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto travelled to Moscow for talks with President Putin to secure assurances over oil and gas supplies, amid worries about disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline. European officials meeting in Brussels acknowledged that while supplies have not yet been directly hit, prolonged hostilities could push prices higher and strain supply chains.
Reports indicate that liquefied natural gas production in Qatar has been halted and that Saudi Arabia’s largest oil refinery has suspended operations, developments that could further unsettle global markets. Greek naval vessels have reportedly reached Cyprus as countries bolster their defensive posture.
In India, the Ministry of External Affairs rejected claims aired by a US-based broadcaster that Indian ports were being used by the US Navy for operations against Iran. The MEA labelled the allegations as fabricated and cautioned the public against misinformation circulating online.
According to figures cited by Al Jazeera, the death toll from five days of strikes has crossed 1,000, marking one of the deadliest escalations in the region in recent years. As military operations persist and diplomatic channels struggle to gain traction, the broader Middle East remains on edge, with global powers watching closely.
