The burial of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei took place amid a fresh wave of strikes between Tehran and Washington, raising fears that the fragile 60-day truce has collapsed and the conflict is entering a new, more volatile phase.
Over a million mourners packed the streets of Mashhad on July 9 for the burial of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a procession that unfolded as U.S.-Iran relations hit a new low and raised questions about the country's political future.
The funeral procession of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived at the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad on Thursday, drawing massive crowds and defiant anti-U.S. chants. His successor, son Mojtaba Khamenei, remains out of public view after being wounded in the same strike that killed his father, underscoring the fragility gripping the Islamic Republic.
After a brief reprieve, oil prices jumped 6% Wednesday as the U.S. and Iran exchanged fresh hostilities. President Trump declared the ceasefire over, and the ripple effect could soon hit drivers at the pump.
The Pentagon said Tuesday it carried out a wave of retaliatory strikes against Iran, targeting air defenses, radar sites, and dozens of small boats used by the Revolutionary Guards, after Tehran attacked three commercial vessels in the strategic waterway. The escalation puts a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire on the brink of collapse and threatens to disrupt global oil flows.
Qatar formally blamed Iran for a drone strike on its liquefied natural gas carrier Al Rekayyat in the Strait of Hormuz, raising tensions amid mass funeral processions for Iran’s slain supreme leader. The attack, which left the vessel at risk of explosion, marks the first reported incident in the waterway since mourning began.
Israeli troops found anti-tank weapons and Hezbollah flags inside a residential bedroom in Tallousa, part of ongoing sweeps targeting militant infrastructure in the IDF-declared Security Zone.
Trump told News Nation in January that he had given “very firm instructions” to “wipe them off the face of this Earth” if Iran ever tried to assassinate him.
Zamir told troops the agreement with Lebanon would not have been possible without “the courage of our soldiers and the operations led by Northern Command.”
Top Iranian officials paid their final respects Friday to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed four months ago in a U.S.-Israeli strike. Mourners and allied delegations flooded Tehran as the country prepared for days of public ceremonies, while security forces remained on high alert amid calls for vengeance from senior figures.
Millions of mourners are expected to flood Tehran as the flag-draped casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei goes on public display, with funeral rites stretching over six days and U.S.-Iran negotiations temporarily suspended.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Tehran shows no sign of moderation, reaffirming Trump's vow to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran while emphasizing diplomacy remains the first path.
Two days of indirect negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials in Doha ended Wednesday without a clear path to a lasting truce, as both sides revisited issues they had declared resolved under an interim deal two weeks ago. Discussions centered on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and unfrozen Iranian assets, while the core dispute over Iran's nuclear program was put off for future meetings.
As the U.S.-Iran framework deal sets a 60-day grace period for toll-free transit, experts warn the Strait of Hormuz may never return to its pre-war status quo — and Tehran is positioning itself to profit from a new maritime order.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister held talks in Oman on Monday, launching a bilateral committee to discuss the governance and security of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a move that comes amid renewed U.S.-Iran brinkmanship and a fragile framework peace deal.
Iran’s strike on a cargo vessel and subsequent attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain and Kuwait signal Tehran’s intent to reclaim dominance over the Strait of Hormuz and pressure Gulf states to acknowledge its sway, according to fresh analysis.
Despite a ceasefire agreement that promised safe passage, the Strait of Hormuz has become a maze of competing routes and conflicting authorities, leaving ship operators navigating both physical hazards and political uncertainty.
Both Washington and Tehran traded accusations of violating the ceasefire memorandum signed just last week, as new drone attacks on Bahrain further destabilize the region.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy announced a new vessel traffic route through the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination with Tehran, warning violators would face consequences. Hours later, an Iranian drone struck a commercial vessel, halting seafarer evacuations and underscoring Iran’s ability to disrupt the critical waterway despite a recent U.S. deal. Paradoxically, oil prices dropped sharply, fueling confusion among analysts and traders.
This year’s Ashoura observances in Lebanon and Iran were deeply marked by ongoing conflict, grief, and the memory of the dead. In Beirut’s southern suburbs, massive processions mourned both the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and loved ones lost in recent hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. In Nabatiyeh, scars from Israeli airstrikes loomed over smaller gatherings, while in Tehran, ritual reenactments and torch-lit ceremonies drew thousands. The Associated Press curated this photo essay.
