Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Abbas Salehi, announced that about 600 foreign journalists and media representatives will cover the funeral of the country’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The funeral and burial ceremonies are scheduled to take place from July 4 to 9, following Khamenei’s death in a joint U.S.-Israel attack, according to the report.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Salehi said his ministry has made extensive preparations for the event, which will also include related films and cultural programs. He emphasized that both domestic and international media will participate in covering the ceremonies.

Salehi described the funeral as not only a national tribute to the late leader but also a demonstration of Iran’s unity, social cohesion, and resilience against its adversaries.

Since the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran began in late February, the global energy sector has faced severe disruption. Oil prices have fluctuated sharply, and the Strait of Hormuz—through which about one-fifth of global oil and LNG passes—has come under tight Iranian control, forcing suppliers to seek alternative routes. Governments from Tokyo to London have taken emergency measures to shield citizens from rising energy costs. Although peace talks between Washington and Tehran have raised hopes for stability, experts believe the conflict has permanently altered the global energy landscape.

Analysts cited by Al Jazeera note that new pipelines and security systems are being planned, while shipping through the Strait remains risky despite a June memorandum pledging safer passage. Attacks on commercial vessels have deepened fears, reducing traffic and pushing exporters to rely more on land pipelines in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iraq. The war has also accelerated a global shift toward renewable energy, with countries investing more in wind, solar, and hydro power.

Experts say China, the United States, and Qatar stand to benefit most. China dominates renewable equipment manufacturing, while the US and Qatar are strengthening their positions as reliable LNG suppliers.

Iran has condemned Israel’s reported threat to assassinate its Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, calling it an act of state terrorism. Amir-Saeed Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, submitted a formal protest letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Security Council, and the General Assembly. He said the threat, allegedly made by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, reflects a systematic policy of state terrorism targeting Iranian officials.

In the letter, Iravani linked the threat to what he described as Israel’s ongoing illegal aggression against Iran, claiming it forms part of a broader pattern involving U.S. participation and support. He criticized the UN Security Council for failing to hold Israel accountable, arguing that this inaction has fostered impunity and emboldened Israel’s behavior.

Iravani warned that Tehran would respond to any hostile actions and said the situation poses a serious threat to international peace and security by normalizing state terrorism. The protest was reported by Al Jazeera, according to the source.

Iran’s acting defense minister Majid Ibn al-Reza stated on July 2, 2026, that the country’s military capability is an inviolable limit and will not be subject to compromise. He emphasized that Iran’s defense, missile, and drone programs are essential to national security and will not be discussed in any negotiations with the United States. Al-Reza added that these programs will continue to advance in the future.

The statement followed Iran’s rejection of a US-led regional security dialogue held in Bahrain. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi criticized the initiative, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s control and that regional security cannot be achieved under American military influence. He called for an end to foreign intervention, withdrawal of US troops, respect for national sovereignty, and recognition of new geopolitical realities.

The remarks underscore Iran’s firm stance on maintaining and expanding its defense capabilities while rejecting Western-led security frameworks in the Middle East.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the country will use its frozen funds held in Qatar to purchase essential goods. The move follows an agreement between Iran and the United States aimed at halting hostilities, under which Washington has agreed to allow Tehran access to its previously seized or restricted assets. This step is described as part of the broader implementation of that understanding.

In an interview with Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Gharibabadi explained that discussions were held with Qatari officials, including the central bank, on how to spend an initial portion of six billion dollars. He stated that the funds will be used to buy goods according to Iran’s domestic needs, which will then be delivered to the country.

However, the exact mechanism and timeline for releasing and utilizing the funds remain unclear, as no details have been provided on when the process will take effect.

Iran has rejected a regional security dialogue held in Bahrain under United States leadership. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi criticized the meeting, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s control, not the US military. He stated that security in the Middle East cannot be achieved under the American military umbrella. Representatives from 12 countries reportedly discussed the strait under US leadership.

In a post on social media platform X, Gharibabadi wrote that the definition of Hormuz lies under Iran’s authority, not under CENTCOM. He added that the Bahrain military summit cannot establish legal order or security for the Persian Gulf. According to him, ensuring regional security requires ending foreign interference, withdrawing US troops, respecting national sovereignty, and accepting new geopolitical realities.

His remarks came as the United States announced that senior military officials from 12 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, and Syria, met in Bahrain and reaffirmed their commitment to the free flow of commerce through the strait.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the country will deliver an immediate and firm response to any threat. In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, he emphasized that the terms of the ‘Islamabad Understanding’ memorandum are clear and open to all. Araghchi added that the U.S. president has pledged to keep Tel Aviv under control, warning that if this directive is ignored, Iran will respond appropriately.

The Iranian top diplomat reiterated that any threat against the nation’s people or leadership would be met with swift and strong retaliation. His remarks followed comments by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who had referred to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a statement suggesting his death was inevitable. Araghchi dismissed Katz’s remarks as “ridiculous.”

The exchange underscores heightened rhetoric between Iran and Israel following recent tensions, with both sides signaling readiness to defend their positions.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has dismissed as false reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be allowed to inspect nuclear facilities damaged by recent US airstrikes. He stated that IAEA inspectors have no right to visit the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear centers, which were affected by the attacks. The remarks were reported by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

Ghalibaf clarified that IAEA inspectors currently have access to only two sites: the Bushehr power plant and the Tehran reactor. He added that Iran’s parliament has already passed a law prohibiting IAEA access to the damaged facilities, and the country’s Supreme National Security Council has endorsed a similar resolution, making the restriction legally binding.

His comments came shortly after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that under a US-Iran memorandum of understanding, UN inspectors must be granted access to Iranian nuclear sites. Ghalibaf’s response has renewed tensions between Tehran and the IAEA over inspection rights.

Leaders and senior representatives from more than 30 countries are traveling to Tehran to attend the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israel attack on February 28. Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Georgia, and Cuba are among the nations sending high-level delegations. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev will attend as President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, while Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead his country’s delegation. Georgia’s president, Cuba’s higher education minister, and India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Pavitra Margariti are also expected to attend.

Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Porjamshidian, head of the funeral organizing committee, said representatives from over 30 countries and religious leaders from more than 90 nations have confirmed participation. Officials expect between 15 and 20 million people to join the multi-day ceremonies, which they describe as the largest funeral in Iran’s history.

Public viewing will take place at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla Prayer Complex, followed by a 10-kilometer procession on Monday. Burial ceremonies will continue in Qom, Iraq, and Mashhad through July 9.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that Tehran is prepared for war if the United States fails to honor the memorandum of understanding signed between the two nations. He stated that Washington’s repeated violations of the agreement could halt progress toward a final deal. The warning came as the date for the second round of peace talks remains undecided, despite earlier announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump that the meeting would take place in Qatar.

Ghalibaf accused the United States of breaching the terms of the 14-point memorandum, citing incidents in the Persian Gulf. He emphasized that Iran continues discussions to implement the 13th clause of the memorandum, which calls for a joint U.S.-Iran team to monitor compliance. Following the signing of the memorandum on June 17, the U.S. lifted sanctions on Iranian oil exports, allowing Iran to export over 40 million barrels of crude oil. Ghalibaf also reaffirmed Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz and its right to regulate passage.

Despite a temporary ceasefire, both nations have exchanged accusations and limited attacks. Analysts cited in the report suggest that neither side is likely to engage in full-scale war soon.

Pirzada Sayeed Uddin Ahmad Hanzala, Member of Parliament from Madaripur-1 (Shibchar), is set to travel to Iran to attend the state funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He will depart from Dhaka tomorrow, according to information he shared on Wednesday.

The funeral had been postponed several times due to the ongoing war situation. A brief state ceremony was held in April, but it was not the full funeral. Khamenei, aged 86, was killed along with family members during a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28. He had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader for 36 years.

Iranian state television announced that the funeral and burial ceremonies will take place between July 4 and 8 in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, with an expected attendance of around 20 million people. Additional ceremonies will also be held in Baghdad, Kazmain, Karbala, and Najaf, while Iranian authorities are working to ensure full security and proper arrangements for the events.

Iran’s National Security Council has declared that those responsible for the killing of the country’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei will face punishment at an appropriate time. The announcement came as preparations were underway for Khamenei’s funeral and burial. In a statement on Wednesday, Council Secretary Mohammad Baqer Zolkadr said the late leader’s clenched fist would remain a lasting symbol of Iran’s national security policy.

Zolkadr, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was appointed as the council’s secretary on March 24 after the previous secretary, Ali Larijani, was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack. He stated that avenging the blood of Khamenei and other Iranian martyrs remains an open issue and that those who carried out or ordered the assassination would soon face just punishment.

In a separate statement, Iran’s Guardian Council condemned the killing as a heinous crime aimed at breaking the nation’s morale. It described Khamenei’s funeral as a historic turning point demonstrating the resilience of the Islamic system and called on citizens to join the funeral procession as a show of unity and loyalty.

The United States and Iran have reached a preliminary understanding on the release of $3 billion during indirect talks held in Doha, Qatar, according to a report by Saudi-based outlet Al Arabiya citing sources on Wednesday. The discussions were mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, with each side communicating through their respective intermediaries. The Iranian delegation, comprising officials from the foreign ministry, central bank, and agriculture ministry, also attended a tripartite meeting with Qatar’s prime minister.

Sources indicated that Iran conditioned the phased release of the funds on progress achieved in the negotiations. The talks also addressed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, based on a new proposal from Oman. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the main goal of the Doha meeting was to review progress in implementing an interim Tehran-Washington agreement.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the discussions, which began Tuesday night, focused primarily on the release of Iran’s frozen assets and regional maritime security. A diplomatic source told AFP that the Doha talks were proceeding under a memorandum of understanding and followed up on progress made at the Lake Lucerne conference in Switzerland.

Bangladesh National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is set to travel to Tehran to attend the state funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His visit comes at the invitation of Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to a source from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan confirmed that the state funeral and prayer ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei will take place from July 4 to 9 in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad. Speaker Hafiz Uddin will represent the Bangladesh government and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the ceremonies.

Ayatollah Khamenei was reportedly killed in a joint attack by the United States and Israel in February, the report added.

Iran has issued a strong warning to Israel after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly said that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been “marked for assassination.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the statement, calling it a violation of respect toward Iran’s leadership and warning that any disobedience by Israel’s allies would be met with a firm response.

Araghchi referred to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, saying its terms were clear and open to all, and accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of promising to silence Israel’s “pets” in Tel Aviv. He added that if they defied their “master,” Iran would teach them a lesson. Katz’s earlier remarks, published in Israeli media, described Iran as a “bargaining merchant” seeking advantage through negotiations and vowed that Israel would never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Araghchi concluded that any threat against Iran’s people or leadership would be met with an immediate and powerful response, underscoring rising tensions between the two countries.