United News of Bangladesh

A tanker caught fire early Tuesday after being hit by a projectile while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, according to the British military, in the latest attack on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway. The incident took place in the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf, a key global shipping route through which about one-fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas has traditionally passed during peacetime. Iranian state television reported that the liquefied natural gas tanker was attacked after it ignored warnings from Iranian authorities, but it stopped short of officially claiming responsibility. Iran has repeatedly said that only shipping routes approved by Tehran are safe for vessels using the strait. The country has also been suspected of carrying out previous attacks on ships that used an alternative route closer to Oman's coastline. The latest incident comes as the United States is seeking to continue negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, curbing Tehran's disputed nuclear programme and securing a lasting end to the war that began on Feb. 28. However, earlier attacks in the waterway have triggered U.S. retaliatory strikes, followed by Iranian attacks on Gulf Arab states, raising fears of wider regional conflict. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the tanker was struck near Limah, Oman, while heading south through the strait toward the Gulf of Oman. According to the agency, the projectile hit the vessel's port side. UKMTO said there was no environmental damage from the attack and that authorities were investigating the incident. Iranian state television, citing unnamed sources, suggested that Iran was behind the strike on what it described as a tanker carrying natural gas from Qatar. However, the Iranian government has not officially claimed responsibility. Last Thursday, Iran's joint military command warned that all oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz must use routes approved by Tehran. It also cautioned that any interference by U.S. forces in the waterway would face a "rapid and decisive reaction." Speaking at the White House on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to reach an agreement with Washington. "We'd rather make a deal because I don't want to affect 91 million people," Trump said. "We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply." Under an interim agreement, Iran and the United States had agreed to allow ships to pass through the strait without fees for 60 days. However, Tehran later insisted it should control shipping routes and eventually collect transit fees, challenging long-standing international practice. The United States and several Gulf Arab countries have rejected Iran's proposal to charge vessels for using the strait. Earlier efforts by Oman and a United Nations agency to establish an alternative route near Oman's coast also triggered attacks across the Middle East, underscoring tensions in the region. According to shipping data firm Kpler, at least 108 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend using different routes. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered Tuesday near the Jamkaran Mosque south of Qom for funeral ceremonies for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to live footage broadcast by Iranian state television. The mosque holds special religious significance for Shiite Muslims, who believe it was once visited by Muhammad al-Mahdi, the 12th and last Shiite imam, who disappeared in the ninth century and is expected to return one day to establish justice. Images of Khamenei and his son, Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, were displayed on banners carried by mourners. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly during the multi-day funeral ceremonies and is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father. Before the April ceasefire, Israel targeted several senior Iranian leaders during the conflict, in some cases reportedly using their public appearances to identify their locations. Israel has also threatened to target Mojtaba Khamenei. Iranian authorities have closed roads, restricted airspace and suspended normal daily activities during the mourning period, which began on Saturday and will continue until Thursday. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died at the age of 86, will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in his birthplace of Mashhad.

China's navy launched a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, a rare test that has sparked concern among the United States and several countries across Asia and the Pacific over Beijing's growing military capabilities. Military experts say the test highlights China's improving ability to strengthen its nuclear deterrence strategy. It was the second time in recent years that China has fired a ballistic missile into international waters. Although Beijing informed some countries before the launch, several governments said the notice was too short. Analysts also warned that the test could further increase tensions as military competition continues to grow across the region. China confirmed the launch only after it had taken place. In a brief statement, state-run Xinhua News Agency said the missile was fired into the Pacific Ocean as part of routine annual military training. It said the launch complied with international law and was not aimed at any country or target. China did not identify the missile, but said it carried a dummy warhead rather than a nuclear one. While launches into international waters are uncommon, the United States has also conducted similar missile tests. On Tuesday, Xinhua released a photograph of the missile but provided no further details. Defence experts believe it was likely either a JL-2 or JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile, although available images are not clear enough to confirm the model. China's state-owned Global Times reported that the missile was "most likely" a JL-3, which has a range of more than 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles). The JL-2 has a shorter range. New Zealand said the missile landed in treaty waters within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, arguing that the launch went against the spirit of the agreement. The nuclear-free zone was created under the 1986 Treaty of Rarotonga, which bans nuclear weapons across the region. China joined the treaty's protocols in 1987, promising not to test or threaten to use nuclear weapons against countries covered by the agreement. Australia, Japan and several Pacific nations voiced concern over the launch. China urged other countries not to "overinterpret" the test, but experts said the concerns were understandable because Beijing provided limited information about the launch. Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said China's military expansion has not been matched by greater transparency, creating uncertainty about its intentions. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said China had failed to give enough advance notice. "There is no doubt that this is a provocative act by China which does destabilize the region," Albanese told reporters Tuesday while visiting Honiara in the Solomon Islands. He said the launch involved a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile fired from a nuclear-powered submarine, adding that the world needs fewer nuclear weapons, not more. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters also described the launch as "unwelcome and concerning." Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale said China remained an important friend but added that missile tests were not welcome in the Pacific. "We don't want anybody testing their ICBMs in the Pacific Islands region. Be our friend, but don't threaten us," Wale told reporters. The test comes as China continues to expand and modernize its military under President Xi Jinping. China already has the world's largest standing army and the biggest navy by fleet size. Although its nuclear arsenal remains smaller than those of the United States and Russia, Beijing has been increasing its stockpile of nuclear warheads while developing longer-range missiles and more advanced drones. China's official defence budget is expected to reach about $270 billion in 2026 after annual increases of around 7% over the past four years. Independent analysts believe actual military spending may be significantly higher. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated China's military expenditure at $313.7 billion in 2024. Much of the region's security concerns are linked to Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as its own and has not ruled out taking by force. Beijing regularly sends warships and military aircraft near Taiwan, describing the missions as military exercises. China's military buildup has prompted neighbouring countries to strengthen their own defences. Japan is moving away from its long-standing policy of limiting defence spending to 1% of GDP and plans to raise it to 2%. The Philippines has also expanded defence cooperation with the United States by allowing access to four additional military bases. Emma Chanlett-Avery, director of Political-Security Affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the missile launch is likely to further strain already tense relations between China and Japan. She noted that tensions have increased since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested last year that Japan could become involved in a conflict over Taiwan, prompting China to tighten export controls on Japan and accuse Tokyo of embracing "a new era of militarism."

Militants attacked a police post in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province overnight, killing nine police officers and injuring several others, officials said Tuesday, as violence continues to escalate in the restive region. The attack took place in a remote area of Ziarat district, where dozens of armed militants stormed the police post, triggering a fierce gunbattle, police said. During the assault, the attackers abducted eight police officers. However, all of them were later rescued during a security operation, according to Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind. Rind said security forces later carried out a clearance operation in the area, killing 15 militants. He added that intelligence-based operations against militant groups would continue and vowed a strong response to future attacks on security personnel. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. However, suspicion is likely to fall on the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has been behind a series of attacks in the province. The BLA recently claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a security post in the coastal town of Jiwani over the weekend, although the government has not confirmed the claim. Authorities also said armed men attacked civilians on the outskirts of Quetta during the weekend. Since then, local residents have been staging a sit-in near the city, demanding better security and stronger protection from future attacks. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed the latest assault on what he described as Indian-backed militants, although he did not provide any evidence to support the allegation. India has repeatedly rejected Pakistan's claims that it supports separatist groups in Balochistan or the Pakistani Taliban. Naqvi paid tribute to the slain police officers and expressed condolences to their families, saying such attacks would not undermine peace efforts. The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also maintains a presence in Balochistan and has carried out several attacks in the province. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least populated province, has long faced separatist insurgencies and militant violence. The BLA, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2019, has carried out numerous attacks on security forces and civilians in recent years.

At least five people were killed and 12 others remained trapped after a landslide struck northwestern China's Gansu province on Tuesday, according to state media. The landslide occurred shortly before 7 a.m. in Nanhe township of Longnan city, burying 33 people, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Rescue teams pulled several people from the debris, but efforts were continuing to reach those still trapped. The cause of the landslide was not immediately known. Images broadcast by state-run CCTV showed excavators and rescue workers searching through large piles of earth in a heavily forested area under clear skies. Authorities evacuated nearby residents as rescue operations continued.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Syria on Monday, becoming the first major Western leader to visit the country since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024. The visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone as Syria seeks to rebuild ties with Western nations under the leadership of President Ahmad al-Sharaa following more than a decade of conflict. Macron was received at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani before beginning a series of meetings focused on regional security, political transition and economic cooperation. According to Syria's state-run SANA news agency, the French president is accompanied by a business delegation to explore investment and reconstruction opportunities. In a message posted on social media, Macron reaffirmed France's support for the Syrian people, saying he was committed to a sovereign, united and peaceful Syria. During the visit, Macron is scheduled to meet President al-Sharaa at the presidential palace and hold discussions with representatives of Syrian civil society. The two leaders are also expected to oversee the signing of several memorandums of understanding before addressing a joint news conference. The French presidency said Macron's visit reflects France's support for efforts to build a stable and inclusive Syria in line with the aspirations expressed during the 2011 Arab Spring. Macron previously hosted al-Sharaa in Paris in May 2025, where he called on European and US partners to ease long-standing sanctions on Syria. Most of those sanctions have since been lifted. France has been among the Western countries backing Syria's new leadership despite initial concerns in some capitals over al-Sharaa's Islamist background and his previous role leading Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group once linked to al-Qaida. Western governments have continued to monitor the new administration's commitment to democratic reforms and the protection of women and minority rights. Macron's visit comes during a relatively calm period in the Middle East following the recent conflict involving Iran and Lebanon. He is expected to travel next to Ankara for the NATO summit, where al-Sharaa is also expected to attend and hold talks with US President Donald Trump. Although Syria has avoided becoming directly involved in the region's latest conflicts, the country continues to face enormous reconstruction challenges after 13 years of civil war that devastated infrastructure, displaced millions of people and left its economy in severe distress.

Australia and Fiji on Monday signed a new mutual defence agreement, marking another major step by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to strengthen ties in the South Pacific as Canberra seeks to counter China's growing influence in the region. Later on Monday, Chinese state media reported that China had test-fired a long-range ballistic missile from a submarine in the South Pacific. Australia criticised the missile test, calling it destabilising. Albanese and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance in Fiji's capital, Suva. The two leaders also signed the Vuvale Union, an economic agreement under which Australia will invest more than 1 billion Australian dollars (about $693 million) in Fiji over the next 10 years. The Ocean of Peace Alliance is Fiji's first mutual defence treaty. For Australia, it is its fourth such agreement after long-standing defence treaties with the United States and New Zealand signed in 1951, and a bilateral defence pact with Papua New Guinea signed last year. "The Ocean of Peace Alliance introduces a mutual defence obligation, and there's no higher obligation than to come to each other's aid at a time of need," Albanese told reporters. Rabuka said he did not expect Beijing to react negatively to the new agreements. "I do not expect China to have any severe pushback on either government. I believe they will welcome the understanding between Australia and Fiji," he said. He added that the agreements would not affect Fiji's ties with China or Australia's relationship with Beijing. According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, the missile test was part of routine military training and carried a dummy warhead. China last carried out a similar missile test in the Pacific two years ago, when it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile with a dummy warhead. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who attended the signing ceremony in Fiji, declined to speculate whether the missile launch was intended as a response to the new defence pact. "I'll leave China to speak to its intent," Wong said. She said China had informed Australia in advance about the missile test. "Australia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilising to the region," Wong said. She added that the test came at a time when China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities without providing the level of transparency and reassurance expected by countries in the region. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the launch as a routine military exercise and said it was not aimed at any particular country. "We hope that the relevant countries will avoid overinterpretation," Mao said. Commenting on the Australia-Fiji defence agreement, Mao said China's cooperation with Pacific island nations is based on mutual respect and equality and is not intended to serve political interests. She urged other countries to respect the independence of Pacific island nations, support their sustainable development and avoid actions that could harm the interests of third parties. Australia has been working to strengthen its position as the preferred security partner in the Pacific since China signed a secret security agreement with the Solomon Islands in 2022. That deal raised concerns in Canberra and its allies over the possibility of a Chinese naval base being established in the South Pacific. Albanese is scheduled to visit the Solomon Islands on Tuesday for talks with Prime Minister Matthew Wale after the two countries agreed to hold further discussions on a security agreement. Wale said during a visit to Australia last month that his government would review the Solomon Islands' security deal with China. On Wednesday, Albanese will host Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and Tongan Prime Minister Fatafehi Fakafānua in Brisbane. Australia's defence treaty with neighbouring Papua New Guinea is set to take effect on Wednesday. Last week, Australia and Vanuatu also signed the long-awaited Nakamal Agreement, covering security and economic cooperation. The deal is designed to prevent China from establishing a military base in Vanuatu. Albanese signed the agreement with Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat in Canberra, nine months after Vanuatu rejected an earlier draft over concerns it could limit the country's ability to attract infrastructure investment. China last week expressed concern that the Nakamal Agreement could be aimed at Beijing.

More than 300 children have been killed or injured in Sudan over the past six months, with most of the casualties caused by drone strikes, the UN children's agency UNICEF said Monday. Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to UNICEF, the fighting is now mainly focused in the Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile states, where drone attacks account for around 60 percent of child casualties. The United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries have raised concerns over the risk of further atrocities as the Sudanese military and the RSF battle for control of the strategic city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan. The war has killed at least 59,000 people, forced around 13 million people from their homes and pushed large parts of Sudan into famine. More than 30 million people now require humanitarian assistance. UNICEF said drone strikes and artillery shelling have damaged civilian infrastructure, including schools, markets, fuel depots and water facilities, putting more than 500,000 people at risk. Many civilians have also endured conditions resembling a prolonged siege for more than a year. "Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation," said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF's representative in Sudan. The UN urged all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, and take every possible measure to keep children out of harm's way.

Huge crowds of mourners dressed in black filled the streets of Iran's capital on Monday as the funeral procession for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued, with many participants chanting slogans calling for the death of U.S. President Donald Trump. Khamenei's coffin, draped in the Iranian flag, was placed on a truck decorated to resemble the ornate lattice surrounding the shrine of an imam. The coffins of several members of his family, who were killed in a Feb. 28 airstrike during the war launched by Israel and the United States, were also carried in the procession. The large turnout, encouraged by Iran's clerical leadership as a display of national unity and strength, came as Tehran prepares to resume negotiations with the United States on reaching a permanent end to the conflict that claimed the life of the 86-year-old leader. Live footage broadcast by Iranian state television showed a massive crowd stretching for several kilometres from Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square along the city's main boulevard. The gathering appeared larger than the funeral procession held in 2020 for Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, which attracted more than one million mourners. Authorities did not immediately release an official estimate of the crowd size as the truck carrying the coffins moved slowly through the streets. Many mourners carried banners and placards calling for Trump's death. "Today is a very difficult day because we are attending the funeral of our leader," mourner Fatima Hassan said. "We are not here to say goodbye. We are here for revenge, and we will take revenge." Many mourners reached out to touch the truck carrying Khamenei's coffin, while others threw scarves and personal belongings toward attendants so they could briefly touch the coffin, a traditional practice in Iran believed to bring blessings. To help people cope with the heat, attendants standing on fire trucks sprayed water mist over the crowd. Officials repeatedly urged mourners through loudspeakers to walk slowly, avoid pushing and remain along the edges of the road to prevent accidents. Revolutionary Guard General Hasan Hasanzadeh, who is overseeing the funeral arrangements, said the coffins would travel through Tehran over a 12-hour journey before reaching Mehrabad International Airport. Iranian authorities have closed major roads, restricted airspace and suspended much of daily activity during the mourning period, which began on Saturday and will continue until Thursday. Khamenei will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. "This is the last time I will see him," said mourner Maryam Alizadeh through tears. "Our generation lived with him for decades." As the funeral ceremonies continued, calls for retaliation over Khamenei's death grew louder. Many mourners displayed signs demanding the deaths of both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One effigy of Trump was seen hanging along the procession route. "We are here to show that his path will continue," mourner Sahar Zaraatgar said. "All of us will continue on his path, and we will certainly avenge his death against the U.S. and Israel." U.S. authorities have monitored Iranian threats against Trump and other senior officials for years following Trump's order to kill General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Iran has repeatedly denied plotting to assassinate Trump, although hardline propaganda has frequently portrayed him as a target. During the recent conflict, Trump also threatened to destroy Iran's civilisation if tensions escalated further. Meanwhile, negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain on hold until after Khamenei's burial. The United States hopes to resume talks aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, curbing Iran's disputed nuclear programme and securing a lasting end to the war. The funeral has also served as a demonstration of national unity as Iran continues to demand greater control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route that it closed during the conflict. The United States has rejected those demands, while disagreements also remain over Iran's nuclear programme and the conflict involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has not appeared publicly during the funeral ceremonies. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father. During the war, before an April ceasefire took effect, Israel targeted several senior Iranian leaders, in some cases reportedly using their public appearances to identify their locations. Israeli officials have also threatened to kill the younger Khamenei.

Hundreds of firefighters continued battling major wildfires in Portugal and Greece on Sunday, while authorities in northern Greece warned residents to stay indoors because of toxic smoke from a burning recycling plant. In Portugal, more than 1,200 firefighters, supported by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft, were trying to contain a wildfire in the central Vouzela region that has been burning since Thursday. According to the European Union's Copernicus satellite monitoring agency, the fire had scorched about 12,000 hectares by Sunday. Fast-moving wildfire forces evacuations near Greece's Thessaloniki The European Union's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department said Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles to Portugal on Friday, while Italy and Spain also deployed three firefighting aircraft to assist. In Greece, a wildfire that reached a recycling plant near the Thessaloniki suburb of Oraiokastro on Saturday evening forced evacuation alerts for three suburbs and a facility housing 157 people with special needs. Strong winds spread the flames, prompting the deployment of about 160 firefighters overnight until water-dropping aircraft joined the operation at daybreak. Authorities advised residents in parts of Thessaloniki to remain indoors with windows and doors closed because of toxic smoke. Mayor Pandelis Tsakiris said several homes and businesses were damaged. Police arrested a 76-year-old man on suspicion of accidentally starting the fire with sparks from his vehicle. Fire officials said about 85% of Greece's wildfires are caused by negligence, despite increasing use of satellite technology to detect fires.

Iran's senior leaders and several sons of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared in public on Sunday to attend funeral prayers in Tehran, marking one of the first major public gatherings of top officials since the recent war with Israel. The event also saw renewed calls from mourners and speakers for revenge against U.S. President Donald Trump. The appearance of Iran's top leadership before hundreds of thousands of mourners highlighted growing confidence about their security after the conflict, during which Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed the 86-year-old Khamenei, several members of his family and other senior officials. During the war, Israeli forces also targeted other high-profile Iranian figures, in some cases reportedly using their public appearances to locate them for attacks. However, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, did not appear at the ceremony. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the strike that killed his father. Israel has also threatened to target him as Iran continues negotiations with the United States on a permanent end to the conflict and issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route. Among the mourners was 42-year-old nurse Ziba Naderi, who said the country should follow the guidance of its new leader. "I heard the calls for revenge, but our leader should decide what we need to do," she said. "We must follow his instructions." Funeral prayers at Tehran's Grand Mosalla were led by 97-year-old Shiite cleric Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani. Several senior Iranian officials attended the ceremony, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Revolutionary Guard commander Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force. Khamenei's sons Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa also appeared publicly for the first time since the war. The venue displayed posters and graffiti calling for the deaths of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Poet Mohammad Rasouli, who hosted the event before the prayers, led chants of "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" Speaking through loudspeakers, he questioned why Trump was "still alive," drawing loud cheers from the crowd. It was one of the strongest public threats against the U.S. president made during the funeral events. At the same time, Trump was speaking in Washington during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Referring to recent U.S. military actions, Trump said, "We've had tremendous success. You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran. We wiped it out, wiped out their military." Sunday's funeral drew a much larger crowd than Saturday's events. Thousands of mourners dressed in black carried banners praising Khamenei while some called for retaliation against Trump. "I came here to demand revenge," said 29-year-old grocery worker Gholamreza Sabooni. "They killed our leader, so Trump should be killed." U.S. authorities have monitored Iranian threats against Trump and other American officials for years, particularly after Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force. Iran has repeatedly denied plotting to assassinate Trump, although hard-line groups have frequently circulated propaganda depicting him as a target. During the recent conflict, Trump also warned that the United States could destroy Iran's civilization if tensions escalated further. Iranian authorities said Khamenei's body will be taken to several cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq before being driven through the streets of Tehran on Monday. National mourning will continue until Thursday, when he will be buried 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 attendance at the funeral ceremonies has been released, though similar memorial events were also held across Iran. Negotiations with the United States aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war have been postponed until after the funeral ceremonies. Many mourners said Iran should maintain a firm stance in future diplomacy. "Our foreign policy should ensure that the blood of our martyred leader is respected and that no country can act against Iran without facing a serious response," said mourner Mohammad Reza Sharifi.