July 2, 2026 Iranians prepare for a farewell ceremony for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. REUTERS / Mohammed Salem Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev will attend the state funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Kremlin confirmed Thursday. Khamenei was killed at age 86 in a U.S.-Israeli strike on Feb. 28. He was succeeded by his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who was injured in the same strike and has not appeared in public since. President Vladimir Putin denounced Khamenei’s killing as a “cynical assassination.” Long-delayed funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on Saturday in Tehran and conclude on July 9. He will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad, with additional ceremonies planned in the Iranian city of Qom and neighboring Iraq. A separate event for foreign heads of state is scheduled for Friday, with representatives from around 30 countries expected to attend. Iran’s Ambassador in Moscow, Kazem Jalali, said earlier this week that Medvedev would attend the memorial service, leading a Russian delegation of Foreign Ministry officials, as well as religious leaders from the Russian Orthodox Church and Sunni and Shiite theologians. The Russian delegation’s trip comes amid an indefinite suspension of commercial flights to and from Iran by Russia’s civil aviation authorities due to regional military tensions. Russia is one of Iran’s closest partners. It has repeatedly condemned the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic republic as an “unprovoked act of armed aggression.” In 2025, Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement that includes provisions for countering shared threats. That pact stops short of mutual defense obligations, unlike the security agreement Russia has signed with North Korea. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Medvedev , Iran Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Strait of Hormuz Remains Open for Russian Ships, Kremlin Aide Says Russia, China and India are reported to be among the five “friendly nations” allowed to use the waterway for commercial shipping. 1 Min read Only Diplomacy Can Resolve Middle East War, Kremlin Says Top spokesman Dmitry Peskov said negotiations between Iran and the United States should have begun “yesterday.” 1 Min read Trump Blasts Medvedev Over Iran Nuclear Comments Russia’s former president had earlier suggested that “a number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.” 2 Min read Russia Orders Mideast Safety Check After Iran Plane Crash, Missile Strikes Prime Minister Medvedev has ordered Russian ministers to assess the safety of flights and tourism in the region.
Russia
EU countries see Hormuz Strait fees as inevitable
• What happened: Leading European countries have begun to accept that ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz will likely need to pay fees to Iran and Oman, ...