Key events

1h ago Millions gather in Tehran to honor supreme leader and demand action against the United States

Patrick Wintour

Additional details come from Patrick Wintour, currently in Tehran covering the national mourning period for Khamenei.

The funeral procession, estimated in the millions, has traveled from east to west across the city, moving from Revolution Square to Azadi Square.

Besides sorrow for the supreme leader, the mourning period has featured strong calls for retribution, including the phrase Kill Trump written in chalk on the stage by attendees at Sunday events.

Wintour notes: In a remarkable display of planning by state officials and volunteer groups that supported the mourners with food and shelter, no fatalities occurred, in contrast to earlier state-related funerals that turned disorderly, such as that of the prior supreme leader.

The Iranian president commended the orderly conduct of the crowds and voiced optimism that scenes from Iran would prompt Western nations to reconsider their approach toward the country.

Dan Sabbagh

Guardian defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh reports today on Israeli efforts that pinpointed roughly 1,000 potential targets daily in Gaza and Lebanon during the initial two years of conflict. He states: A total of 850,000 targets were identified in real time by the Israeli Tzayad digital army programme across all military theatres between 7 October and the end of 2025, according to statements at a military conference in London.

Sabbagh includes remarks from a former senior targeting adviser and policy analyst at the US Pentagon, who described the 850,000 figure as deeply troubling.

Thus far, Khamenei's son and Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not appeared at the mourning events.

Three sons of the late leader attended the second day of ceremonies and were observed praying behind the family coffins.

The new supreme leader has remained out of public view since his appointment in March, widely attributed to security considerations.

According to the Times of Israel, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz cautioned that Iran's current leaders risk a similar outcome, stating that any Iranian leader who attempts to advance plans to destroy Israel will also be stopped.

Millions gather in Tehran to honor supreme leader and demand action against the United States

Patrick Wintour

Good morning, and welcome to the Middle East live blog.

Today begins a large-scale funeral procession for Iran's former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Millions have come together in the capital for the six-day, five-city events honoring Khamenei, who died in February during the opening airstrikes as the US and Israel launched the ongoing regional conflict. He was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Guardian correspondent Patrick Wintour, reporting from Tehran, noted that the funeral prayers this weekend formed a political display at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla that blended sorrow with demands for revenge.

The procession today comes after two days of public farewell events that included calls for action against Donald Trump.

The coffins of Khamenei and family members also lost in the strikes will travel to Mehrabad International Airport during a 12-hour route.

Normal activities have paused since national mourning started on Saturday, with officials shutting streets and airspace for the occasion. The events conclude on Thursday, when Khamenei will be interred at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.

We will track the procession through Tehran and provide updates on ongoing tensions in Lebanon and Palestine.