MASHHAD, July 9. /TASS/. Iranian armed forces deployed Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets over Mashhad during the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei according to the Mehr news agency. The jets conducted patrols to secure the airspace over the city as part of heightened security measures. No additional details were disclosed.
The farewell services for Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on February 28, commenced on July 3 in Tehran. Over several days, the late leader’s body was displayed in state at Tehran’s Mosallah - the city’s largest religious and public complex - allowing mourners to pay their final respects. On July 6, a funeral procession was held in Tehran before the remains were transferred to Qom, Iran’s primary religious hub. On the evening of July 7, Khamenei’s coffin was transported to Iraq for additional ceremonies in the cities of Najaf and Karbala.