Iran's Khamenei Funeral Delayed 8 Hours on July 9 Despite U.S. Strike on Railway

According to Al Jazeera, Iranian officials stated on July 9 that a U.S. military strike disrupting rail service connecting Tehran to Mashhad did not affect the funeral schedule for former Supreme Leader Khamenei. Officials said the delay was not caused by the overnight attack, but rather by a large gathering in Iraq.

The funeral ceremony originally scheduled for 6 a.m. local time on July 9 was postponed eight hours. Khamenei's remains were airlifted to Mashhad, his birthplace, as part of the multi-stage funeral proceedings scheduled to conclude with burial ceremonies today.