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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the funeral ceremony of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday. Sharif, whose country has played a key mediating role between the United States and Iran, said in a post on social media that Khamenei's "wisdom, leadership and profound influence on Iran and the wider region will be remembered for generations." The Pakistani prime minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir. Source: Al Jazeera

Iran's ambassador to China has said Beijing and other countries friendly to Tehran will receive special treatment under a new arrangement in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Saturday, Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said the new mechanism would be implemented in coordination with Oman to facilitate the passage of China and other friendly countries through the strategic waterway. Iran begins dayslong funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after his death in war He said the arrangement would include the imposition of fees on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to the ambassador, the proposed fees would not violate international maritime law. No further details about the proposed arrangement were immediately provided. Source: Al Jazeera

Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Saturday as Iran began a dayslong funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, beating their chests in grief before his flag-draped coffin and chanting calls for revenge against Israel and the United States. Khamenei, who led Iran for decades, was killed at the age of 86 in a Feb. 28 airstrike during the opening phase of the Iran war. The funeral is expected to strengthen support for Iran's ruling establishment and its new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son. The ceremonies come at a critical time as Iran seeks to use its influence over the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the United States on a permanent end to the war, while concerns remain over the possibility of another Israeli attack. During Saturday's ceremony, Iran's chief negotiator warned France and the United Kingdom against comments about launching joint naval patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed during peacetime. Many mourners cried as they viewed Khamenei's coffin alongside those of family members who were also killed in the airstrike. Crowds repeatedly chanted, "Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!" while carrying flags and banners bearing Khamenei's image. Groups of men beat their chests in a traditional Shiite mourning ritual. "Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything," mourner Masoumeh Mohammadi said. "I still can't believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death." An outdoor stage at Tehran's Grand Mosalla was designed to resemble the setting where Khamenei had often delivered speeches. It featured a chair similar to the one he used, along with a microphone and a small table. Above the stage hung a portrait of Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who died in 1989. Khomeini's funeral drew millions of mourners and was marked by chaotic scenes. Khamenei's death, only the second time Iran has lost a supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, allowed authorities several months to prepare for the ceremonies. Volunteers sprayed water on mourners to help them cope with the summer heat, while food and drinks were distributed outside the venue. Men and women gathered separately inside the Grand Mosalla after passing through metal detectors and security checks. Armed police guarded nearby streets, while many people remained outside under the shade of trees after much of the city was shut down for the funeral. The coffins of Khamenei's family members were placed beneath his own coffin, which was topped with his black turban, signifying his descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Among those killed was the wife of Mojtaba Khamenei. It remained unclear whether Mojtaba would appear at the funeral. Reports said he was wounded in the same airstrike that killed his father. "We attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion," said Ali Kazemi, who travelled from the northwestern city of Tabriz, about 530 kilometres (330 miles) from Tehran. Iran began the funeral on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Although authorities did not mention the timing, crowds at the ceremony chanted, "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" The anti-American slogan has been common in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis. At about the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking in South Dakota near Mount Rushmore, said: "We knocked the hell out of Iran. They want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral." Some mourners at the Grand Mosalla also carried a large flag displaying the message "#KillTrump." Meanwhile, Iran's chief negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi criticised a joint statement issued overnight by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting their militaries were prepared to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has sought to use control over the strategic waterway as leverage and has suggested charging ships that pass through it, challenging its long-standing status as an international waterway. "The security of Hormuz lies with the coastal states. The crisis-makers will be held accountable for the consequences of their adventurism," Gharibabadi wrote on X. "This is a serious warning." Khamenei's body will be taken to several cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq before he is buried on Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. Authorities have closed roads, restricted airspace and suspended many daily activities during the mourning period. No official estimate of Saturday's attendance was released, although large crowds continued to move through the Grand Mosalla and surrounding streets. Mourning ceremonies were also held in other cities across Iran. A prayer for the dead is scheduled at the Grand Mosalla on Sunday. On Monday, Khamenei's body and those of his family members will be carried through the streets of Tehran in a procession expected to draw even larger crowds. "I am here to say goodbye to my beloved leader Ali Khamenei," said 27-year-old Hananeh Mousavi, who attended the funeral with her mother. "I never expected to see such a day. I wish I had died before this tragedy."

A powerful Iranian general who commands the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has appeared in public for the first time in months as Tehran prepares for the dayslong funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photos released by Iranian state media showed Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting on arrangements for Khamenei's funeral before sitting beside the late leader's coffin during a smaller mourning ceremony held Thursday night near Khamenei's former residence in central Tehran. Experts say Vahidi has become a key figure in shaping Iran's hardline position in negotiations over a possible permanent end to the war with the United States. He is believed to be among a small group in direct contact with Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has remained out of public view after reportedly being wounded in Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 that killed his father, the elder Khamenei. Vahidi himself had not been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war began. During the conflict, Israel killed several senior Iranian military and government leaders and has also threatened the life of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Video released by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony held near the husseiniyah at Khamenei's compound in Tehran. An Israeli airstrike at the start of the war killed Khamenei and several members of his family. State media showed his coffin placed on a stage decorated with red tulips, while paper butterflies hung from the ceiling in front of it. Mourners dressed in black, identified by state media as relatives of those killed in the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war, threw scarves and other personal items toward attendants to touch against the coffin, a traditional practice in Iran. Later, state media broadcast images of Khamenei's coffin draped with a red flag bearing the white calligraphy "Ya Hussein," a Shiite expression commemorating the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. The flag had previously flown over the golden-domed Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, Iraq. It traditionally symbolizes the unjust shedding of blood and a call for vengeance. On Friday morning, security personnel carried Khamenei's coffin, now covered with the Iranian flag, by hand as it arrived at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran. Religious leaders, government officials and foreign dignitaries paid their respects by walking past the coffin, along with those of several slain family members, including his 14-month-old granddaughter, Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani. Iran will begin Khamenei's dayslong funeral on Saturday. His body will later be taken to several cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq. Authorities are expected to shut down streets, close airspace and disrupt daily activities in Tehran as mourners honor Khamenei, who ruled Iran for decades with an iron grip while maintaining a confrontational stance toward the West.

A powerful general who leads Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged from hiding as Tehran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photos published online by Iranian state media showed Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran's theocracy held a smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader's former home in downtown Tehran. Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say. He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, the elder Khamenei. Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war began. Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for Khamenei near the husseiniyah at his compound in Tehran. An Israeli airstrike in the war's first moments killed Khamenei and some of his family members. State media said Khamenei's body sat within a coffin on a stage, with red tulips lined up in front of it. What appeared to be paper butterflies hung from the ceiling in front of it. The black-clad mourners, whom state media identified as coming from families of those who lost loved ones in the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war, threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the coffin, a common practice in Iran. Later, state media showed images of Khamenei's casket draped by a red flag with white calligraphy reading "Ya Hussein,” a Shiite expression in remembrance of the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. It had been flying over the Imam Hussein golden-domed shrine in Karbala, Iraq. The flag also traditionally symbolizes both the spilled blood of someone unjustly killed and a call for vengeance. Beginning Saturday, Iran will hold a dayslong funeral for Khamenei, and his body will be transported to cities in both Iran and neighboring Iraq. The funeral will begin at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, where authorities plan to shut down streets and daily life as mourners commemorate the life of Khamenei, who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation held two rounds of meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha, where Tehran raised what it described as U.S. violations of its obligations under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), according to Iranian state media. Gharibabadi told state broadcaster IRIB that the first meeting was held under the Monitoring and Implementation Working Group, one of four bodies established under the U.S.-Iran MoU. During the meeting, the Iranian delegation raised what it called the "U.S.'s violation of its obligations under Article 1 of the MoU," which calls for an end to war on all fronts. The discussions also covered reports about U.S. efforts to strengthen military equipment and forces in the region, as well as what Iran described as threatening and interventionist statements by U.S. officials. The participants agreed to establish an immediate communication channel within a day and to formally document the MoU's shortcomings so the issues could be reviewed and addressed. The second meeting, attended by Qatari officials and representatives of the country's central bank, focused on the release of about $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds. According to Gharibabadi, the talks discussed issues related to part of the initial $6 billion, with an understanding that Iran would use the funds to purchase goods based on its "declared needs." #Reports Al Jazeera

U.S. and Iranian negotiators held separate meetings in Qatar on Wednesday through Qatari and Pakistani mediators, making what Qatar described as "positive progress" and agreeing to continue discussions. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on X that the next round of talks would be held "at the earliest possible time" after the funeral of Iran's former supreme leader, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The funeral is scheduled to begin Saturday in Tehran. The U.S. delegation included Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Iran was represented by its chief negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi. The discussions are aimed at working out details that could pave the way for a broader agreement between senior leaders. However, major differences remain, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon. Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after using a route not approved by Iran. No further details about the vessel were released. The report appeared intended to reinforce Tehran's claim of authority over the strategic waterway, which has long been regarded internationally as an international shipping route. During peacetime, about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas supplies pass through the strait. Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran has repeatedly used its ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as a source of leverage, affecting global energy markets and trade. The strait remains one of the biggest obstacles in the negotiations. Under an interim arrangement, Iran and the United States agreed to allow ships to pass through the waterway without charges for 60 days. However, Tehran later insisted that it should control shipping routes and eventually collect transit fees, challenging long-established international practice. The United States and several Gulf Arab countries have rejected the proposal. Efforts by Oman and a U.N. agency to establish an alternative route closer to Omani waters were followed by attacks across the Middle East last weekend, highlighting ongoing tensions. Iranian state television said the stranded vessel became stuck because it had chosen a route with shallow waters and failed to follow approved navigation instructions. It said ships should comply with directions issued by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the strait. The Guard's navy has repeatedly warned that vessels using routes other than what it called the "Route of Authority" in the Persian Gulf risk "irreparable incidents." The report made no mention of two ships recently attacked by Iran after attempting to leave the strait without Tehran's approval, including one carrying crude oil from Qatar. On Wednesday, Witkoff and Kushner also met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to a statement from the Qatari government. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said discussions included shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. "Obviously, we're worried about the nuclear issue," Vance told reporters. "We're going to start talking about that." Sheikh Mohammed separately met Gharibabadi and other Iranian officials, with Pakistani mediators also participating. According to Iranian state media, Gharibabadi said there were no direct talks with the U.S. delegation and that discussions with mediators focused on Lebanon and plans to return some of Iran's frozen assets. Lebanon continues to be another major point of disagreement. Iran has demanded an end to fighting between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group and Israeli forces, while also calling on Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Israel, however, insists it must retain control of the territory and preserve its ability to strike Hezbollah, which has continued attacks into northern Israel. Despite a sharp decline in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after last weekend's attacks, more countries say their vessels have safely exited the area. Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that 10 of its 11 flagged or chartered vessels had safely passed through the strait. South Korean officials also said all but two of the country's 26 stranded vessels had departed safely. In a separate development, the U.S. Navy said one crew member was missing after an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter made an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea early Wednesday. The Navy's 5th Fleet said there was "no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action." Three of the helicopter's four crew members were rescued, while search efforts for the missing crew member continued. The Navy did not say whether the helicopter had been recovered. The aircraft was assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush, one of two U.S. aircraft carriers operating in waters near Iran.

Senior diplomats from Iran and Qatar met in Doha on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the recently signed U.S.-Iran peace memorandum of understanding (MoU), with a focus on advancing the agreement and addressing challenges surrounding the process. According to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani reviewed ways to expedite implementation of the MoU, particularly efforts aimed at ending the conflict in Lebanon, while also exploring opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The statement said senior negotiators from Iran, Qatar and Pakistan later held a trilateral meeting on the implementation process, although the identities of the participants were not disclosed. Gharibabadi said working groups had already been established to oversee implementation of the memorandum and prepare for final agreement negotiations. However, formal talks have yet to begin, with discussions on the date and venue continuing through mediators. The Iranian delegation in Doha also includes representatives from the Foreign Ministry, Central Bank and Agriculture Ministry. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Wednesday's discussions with Qatari officials would mainly focus on the release of Iran's frozen assets, adding that no meetings with U.S. officials had been scheduled. Earlier Wednesday, an informed source told media that indirect U.S.-Iran talks were underway in Doha under Qatari and Pakistani mediation, focusing on implementation of the MoU, including frozen Iranian assets and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

A foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly failing to follow a route approved by Iran, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday, as technical talks aimed at ending the Iran-US conflict got underway in Qatar. Iranian state media identified the vessel only as a foreign container ship and did not disclose its name, flag or cargo details. According to the report, the ship became stranded in shallow waters after choosing a route outside what Iran describes as its designated "Route of Authority" in the strategic waterway. Iranian state television said the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had repeatedly warned shipping companies and vessel operators against using routes not authorised by Tehran, claiming such actions could lead to serious incidents. The report appeared to reinforce Tehran's longstanding assertion of control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes during peacetime. The waterway is widely recognised internationally as an international maritime passage. Meanwhile, technical-level negotiations between Iranian and US representatives began in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, according to two regional officials familiar with the talks. The discussions are aimed at resolving outstanding issues and laying the groundwork for a broader agreement to formally end recent hostilities between the two countries. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are in Qatar for the negotiations, which are being mediated by Qatari officials. Although Iran has publicly denied scheduling direct talks with US representatives, officials have left open the possibility of indirect negotiations through Qatari mediators, a format previously used by the two sides. Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with the US delegation, with discussions focusing on the interim agreement as well as regional security and stability through dialogue and diplomacy. The negotiations are also expected to address broader regional issues, including tensions in Lebanon. Iran has insisted that all hostilities between the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Israeli forces must end, while also calling for Israel to withdraw from territory it currently occupies in southern Lebanon. Israel has maintained that it will retain control of the area to counter Hezbollah attacks. Speaking to Iranian state television, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said efforts to reach a permanent agreement were continuing but warned that Tehran remained prepared for military action if diplomatic commitments were not honoured. "We are engaged in dialogue, but if they refuse to implement what has been agreed through dialogue, we are prepared for war," he said.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appear to be taking different approaches to President Donald Trump's national security agenda as both emerge as possible contenders for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Although the White House and State Department have dismissed any suggestion of a rift, the two senior officials have taken different positions, particularly on Iran and the broader Middle East. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime former senator with a strong focus on Latin America, has generally maintained a pro-Israel stance. Vance, a former Marine and Ohio senator who built his political profile by opposing foreign wars, has at times criticized Israel's military actions in Lebanon, arguing they complicated US efforts to negotiate with Iran. Vance has taken the lead on US negotiations with Iran, while Rubio has focused more on Lebanon. Last week, Rubio played a leading role in reaching a preliminary framework agreement related to Lebanon. Dan Fried, a former assistant secretary of state and ambassador to Poland who is now with the Atlantic Council, said there appears to be a genuine difference between the two officials. "The talk about differences is not idle speculation," Fried said. "There is definitely something to it." The White House rejected any suggestion of internal divisions. "Why is the legacy media obsessed with driving a wedge between Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio that does not exist?" White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. "There is one camp — President Trump's camp — and the entire administration is fully behind the president's efforts to ensure Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon." State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott also dismissed reports of any disagreement, saying Rubio and the rest of the administration are fully aligned with Trump's policies. According to Trump administration officials familiar with the matter, Rubio was skeptical that negotiations with Iran would produce an acceptable agreement and declined to lead the US delegation at the first ceasefire talks held in April in Islamabad, Pakistan. Vance, seeing an opportunity to strengthen his foreign policy credentials, twice asked Trump to let him lead the negotiations before the president agreed, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal deliberations. Vance led the US delegation in Pakistan and later represented Washington again during talks in Switzerland after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding. However, the ceasefire outlined in that agreement has remained fragile, with repeated exchanges of fire in recent days. Ian Kelly, a retired US diplomat and former ambassador during Trump's first administration, said it is unusual for a vice president to lead such negotiations. "It's rather unusual for the VP to be given the lead role in a negotiation, but it's quite possible that Rubio is happy to let him," Kelly said. "It's a pig in a poke. It's a loser job." He added that both Vance and Rubio appear to have ambitions of succeeding Trump, noting that Trump's recent comments suggesting he would blame Vance if the Iran talks fail could put the vice president under additional pressure. Both Vance and Rubio have rejected suggestions of any disagreement. "We're all focused on the jobs in front of us," Vance said. "I think the president loves to stir the pot a little bit and loves the entertainment of it." He also praised Rubio, calling him "a great secretary of state" and "a very, very dear friend," while saying both are focused on serving the American people. Rubio echoed that message during a visit to Bahrain last week. "When it comes to foreign policy and national security, we have no drama. We have no games," Rubio told reporters. He said members of the administration work closely together to carry out Trump's directives and have achieved positive results through collaboration. Even so, Trump has continued to fuel speculation by asking supporters at campaign-style events whom they would prefer to succeed him and at one point suggested that Vance and Rubio could form an unbeatable future ticket. Despite their public unity, analysts say the two men have different foreign policy outlooks. Fried said Rubio largely follows the traditional Republican foreign policy approach associated with former President Ronald Reagan, while Vance has been more skeptical of military involvement overseas. "Rubio speaks within the rubric of the Ronald Reagan construct of the free world and its importance," Fried said. "Vance is not interested in the free-world construct. He speaks in the language of not wanting to fight what he believes are abstractions." Fried warned that current US policy could ultimately leave Iran in a stronger strategic position despite its recent setbacks. Meanwhile, Rubio's aides note that he has repeatedly said he would support Vance if the vice president decides to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. At the same time, Rubio has strengthened his influence within the administration by reshaping the National Security Council. Several close allies have recently been appointed to key White House positions, including former State Department counselor Mike Needham as deputy national security adviser and Jeremy Lewin, who previously oversaw the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, as a deputy for the Western Hemisphere. Dylan Johnson also continues to serve in dual roles as head of National Security Council communications and assistant secretary of state for public affairs.