The funeral prayer for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and members of his family was held at the courtyard of Jamkaran Mosque in Qom on Tuesday morning. The prayer was led by Iran’s senior cleric Ayatollah Abdullah Jawadi Amoli. Following the ceremony, the bodies of Khamenei and his deceased family members were taken from the mosque toward the shrine of Hazrat Fatima Masumeh.

Mourners from various provinces of Iran began arriving at Jamkaran Mosque from Monday afternoon to attend the funeral prayer and final procession. By Monday night, the mosque grounds and surrounding streets were filled with people, and the flow of mourners continued into Tuesday. Participants carried red flags inscribed with “Ya Letharat al-Husayn” along with Iranian national flags as they joined the procession.

The farewell ceremony in Qom followed a massive gathering in Tehran the previous day, where large crowds had assembled to pay their last respects to the late leader.

Pakistan has begun a quiet mediation effort between Libya’s rival eastern and western power centers, according to two Pakistani sources cited by Reuters. The initiative, which started late last year, aims to bridge divisions that have persisted since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. The United States is reportedly aware of and involved in the process, while Saudi Arabia is providing support. Both Libyan sides are said to have requested Pakistan’s involvement.

The mediation follows Pakistan’s earlier roles in separate U.S.-Iran negotiations this year, which drew praise from Washington. Analysts note that any plan to reunify Libya must balance competing foreign interests and resolve disputes over government positions, election rules, and oil revenues. A proposed 36‑month transitional power-sharing arrangement under a “Government of National Consensus and Presidential Council” is under discussion, with Abdulhamid Dbeibah and Saddam Haftar expected to hold key roles.

Pakistan’s army chief recently met Saddam Haftar in Rawalpindi, followed by Haftar’s visit to Washington. Observers describe Pakistan as a secondary actor in Libya, though it maintains ties with both factions and regional players such as Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan and Turkey are advancing toward a major defense agreement to jointly produce various technologies and components for Turkey’s ‘Kaan’ fighter jet. The initiative aims to deepen bilateral military cooperation and strengthen both countries’ defense capabilities. Under the proposed plan, advanced avionics and radar systems for the ‘Kaan-PK’ version of the aircraft will be developed collaboratively. The final agreement is expected to be concluded by 2026.

Defense officials from both nations have shown strong interest in accelerating the joint projects. The ‘Kaan’ fighter jet program is viewed as a strategic milestone for enhancing Pakistan’s defense industry. The collaboration will integrate advanced technologies and leverage Turkey’s long-standing experience and expertise in aviation and aircraft manufacturing.

According to related sources, both countries intend to utilize each other’s strengths and capabilities to advance defense technology development, marking a significant step in their growing defense partnership.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare has commended the professionalism, courage, and discipline of Bangladeshi peacekeepers during a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh’s Home Minister Asaduzzaman Ahmed at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday. Khare praised Bangladesh’s leadership in environmental protection and assured that proposals, including the deployment of specialized police units in Haiti, would be given serious consideration. He also expressed commitment to strengthening the UN’s partnership with Bangladesh.

The meeting discussed operational cooperation, financial compensation, environmental sustainability, the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and Bangladesh’s readiness to deploy specialized police contingents to Haiti. The Home Minister thanked the UN Department of Operational Support for its assistance in peacekeeping reimbursements and environmental initiatives such as solar panel installations. He reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of peacekeeping missions and promoting renewable energy.

Bangladesh has prepared three advanced specialized police units for Haiti, trained in SWAT, rapid response, explosives disposal, forensics, and cybercrime. A three-member delegation will visit the UN headquarters from July 15–17 for MOU discussions to finalize deployment details.

Former US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Frank McKenzie has suggested moving American military bases from the Persian Gulf to Israel and neighboring countries to protect them from potential Iranian missile and drone attacks. Speaking in a recent webinar, McKenzie criticized the current placement of CENTCOM’s forward headquarters in Qatar, only about 100 miles from Iran, calling it strategically unsound. He revealed that in 2022 he and other officials had warned the Biden administration that US bases in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain were highly vulnerable to Iranian strikes, but the proposal to relocate westward was rejected.

McKenzie argued that the existing US base network in the Middle East is a Cold War legacy, originally designed to counter Soviet threats and later used during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said Iran’s growing capabilities have effectively forced US forces away from the Gulf coast. Citing recent Iranian attacks on Saudi and Gulf facilities, he emphasized that Israel offers fewer restrictions on access, airspace, and base construction, along with stronger air defense systems.

He proposed maintaining limited Gulf presence for refueling while developing long-term bases in Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

An investigative report by The New York Times, cited in the article, describes how the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) helped bring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power and supported Narendra Modi’s rise as India’s prime minister. The report and other international findings allege that the RSS promotes an ideology inspired by Hitler, undermines constitutional freedoms, and fosters anti-Muslim and anti-Christian sentiment. Multiple organizations, including the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, have documented growing religious discrimination, hate speech, violence, and restrictions on freedom of religion in India.

Data from Pew Research Center and India Hate Lab show that Muslims face disproportionate levels of bias and hostility, with hate speech incidents increasing by 13 percent between 2024 and 2025. Human Rights Watch also recorded demolitions of Muslim homes and businesses and deportations of Indian citizens. Despite UN calls for stronger legal protections and accountability, the article notes little improvement. The author warns that India’s treatment of minorities affects regional stability and urges international dialogue to address the issue.

The piece concludes that protecting all religious communities is essential for peace and prosperity across South Asia and calls for renewed commitment to secular and democratic principles.

Hamas has announced its decision to dissolve the civilian administration it has maintained in Gaza for nearly 20 years. The group stated that all administrative responsibilities will be transferred to a new body called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. If implemented, this move would mark a major shift in Gaza’s governance structure. Despite the announcement, Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip continued on Monday, with at least six Palestinians reported killed, including a couple whose apartment was struck by a rocket.

The declaration has raised several questions about how the new committee will be formed, who will oversee it, and whether it will gain international and public legitimacy. These issues are expected to play a central role in any post-war discussions or agreements regarding Gaza’s future. The announcement signals Hamas’s willingness to step back from direct governance, though it remains unclear whether this represents a genuine transfer of power or a tactical move linked to ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

For ordinary Gazans, the political uncertainty continues amid relentless airstrikes, displacement, and a deepening humanitarian crisis that no political proposal has yet resolved.

A missile attack struck an oil tanker near the coast of Lima, Oman, causing a fire onboard, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred eight nautical miles east of Lima while the vessel was heading south. UKMTO confirmed that the missile hit the port side of the tanker.

Authorities reported no casualties or environmental damage from the attack. The cause and source of the missile strike have not been disclosed. Officials have launched an investigation into the incident to determine further details.

The UKMTO continues to monitor the situation as maritime security agencies assess potential risks in the area.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday, marking the first visit by a Western European head of state to Syria since the country’s new government took power in 2024. The trip, confirmed by AFP, is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday. According to the French presidency, Macron intends to express support for a free and pluralistic Syria that respects all its components and contributes to easing tensions in the Middle East.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani welcomed Macron upon arrival. The visit comes as President Ahmed al-Shara, who replaced long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad after his ouster in December 2024, seeks to restore Syria’s international image and revive its fragile economy. The last French presidential visit to Syria occurred in 2009 under Nicolas Sarkozy, before relations deteriorated following Assad’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Syria’s state news agency SANA described Macron’s visit as a crucial step in restoring the country’s international presence and beginning a new era of balanced partnership between Syria and France.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Monday that member states will reveal several multibillion-dollar arms deals during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara. The move aims to demonstrate to U.S. President Donald Trump that allies are making tangible progress on their defense spending commitments. The summit, attended by leaders from the 32-member alliance, follows Trump’s criticism of Europe’s response to the Iran war.

Last year, under U.S. pressure, NATO members pledged to raise defense and security spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035. Rutte said European allies and Canada are already investing about 4 percent and will present clear plans to reach the target. He noted that combined additional investments for 2025 and 2026 total $258 billion. The summit will also feature a defense industry forum where major arms contracts will be announced.

Diplomatic sources indicated that European and Canadian allies will commit at least €70 billion in military aid to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027, following reduced U.S. support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend part of the summit, while Rutte emphasized continued NATO support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and air defense needs.

The body of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been transported to the holy city of Qom for the next stage of funeral ceremonies, according to the country’s state media. Iranian state television channel IRIB released footage on Telegram showing a helicopter flying over the historic Jamkaran Mosque in Qom Province, which reportedly carried Khamenei’s body.

The official schedule indicates that funeral processions and related ceremonies will continue in Qom tomorrow. After the homage in Qom, Khamenei’s body will be taken to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala for further religious rites. State media confirmed these plans as part of the extended mourning program.

The transfer marks a continuation of national mourning events following Khamenei’s death, with the ceremonies moving from Iran to key religious centers in Iraq as part of the final burial arrangements.

Various Western media outlets, including BBC, CNN, and The Guardian, gave extensive coverage to the funeral of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The farewell ceremony began on Monday in the capital, Tehran, drawing significant international media attention. Reports highlighted the scale of the event and the participation of large crowds from across the country.

According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the funeral procession saw participants carrying national flags and portraits of Khamenei. Throughout the march, attendees expressed respect through slogans and emphasized messages of national unity. In addition to Western outlets, Israeli and several Muslim world media organizations also gave the event prominent coverage.

The large-scale participation and broad media attention underscored the significance of the occasion within Iran and beyond, reflecting both domestic reverence and global interest in the transition following Khamenei’s passing.

UNICEF has reported that more than 300 children have been killed in Sudan over the past six months, most of them in drone attacks. The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has plunged the country into a severe humanitarian crisis. The violence is currently concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur, and Blue Nile regions, where about 60 percent of casualties are linked to drone strikes.

According to the report, at least 59,000 people have been killed and around 13 million displaced since the conflict began. More than 30 million people now require urgent humanitarian assistance. Drone attacks and shelling have damaged schools, markets, fuel depots, and water facilities, putting over half a million people at risk. Many communities have been living under near-siege conditions for over a year.

The United Nations has urged both warring parties to protect civilians and infrastructure, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and ensure the safety of children trapped in the violence.

Iranian authorities have implemented heightened security measures to prevent a repeat of the 1989 turmoil during the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the state news agency IRNA, special arrangements have been made to manage crowds and maintain order during the ceremony.

In 1989, the funeral of Khamenei’s predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, drew around ten million mourners. The massive crowd led to a deadly stampede that killed at least ten people and injured more than ten thousand. The situation spiraled out of control when mourners surrounded the vehicle carrying Khomeini’s body, causing the coffin to break and the body to fall to the ground. Authorities were forced to use a helicopter to complete the burial.

Officials have not yet disclosed how close the public will be allowed to approach the procession this time. However, they have emphasized crowd control based on lessons learned from the past. A participant named Gholamreza Khanbabai said enthusiasm among the people appears even greater than in 1989.

Millions of people from Iran and abroad gathered in Tehran to attend the final farewell ceremony of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. To accommodate the vast number of attendees, Iran arranged extensive food and beverage supplies across the city. Numerous volunteers and charitable organizations distributed free meals, drinks, and essential services along the procession routes and near the ceremony venues.

Temporary service centers were set up in various locations to provide cold water, tea, juice, bread, rice, and meat dishes. Religious institutions, mosques, and individuals also served food as part of their personal vows, known as nazri. Volunteers reported that they were continuously supplying food and clean water to ease the hardship of mourners participating in the long procession. Basic medical care, rest areas, and guidance services were also made available.

The multi-day state mourning event drew Iran’s top political and military leaders as well as representatives from several countries, marking one of the largest gatherings in Tehran in recent years.