Iranian authorities are planning a three-day public funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed earlier this year by US-Israeli attacks, IRIB media outlet reported Tehran’s Deputy Mayor Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh as saying.

The funeral will be held in the capital, Qom and Mashhad. Tavakolizadeh added that a 24-hour ceremony was going to be held in Tehran where authorities were preparing for up to 20 million people to attend, the report said.

Iran’s supreme leader is alive and “increasingly engaging”, Rubio says during his testimony before Congress.

Mojtaba Khamenei is the son of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US strikes earlier this year where Mojtaba was reportedly wounded.

He has not been seen or heard from publicly except for written messages attributed to him and read out on state media.

This comes amid concerns that he is a potential target for assassination by the US and Israel.

The build-up ‌to Iran’s fourth straight World Cup appearance has been heavily disrupted by the ⁠attack by the ⁠United States and Israel, leaving coach Amir Ghalenoei little time to raise fitness levels and develop match sharpness in his veteran squad.

All but six of ⁠Ghalenoei’s team are based in the country’s Persian Gulf Pro League, which has been suspended for weeks as a result of the hostilities.

The coach acknowledged the World ⁠Cup will be the last time many of the senior players represent the side.

“We hope to put on acceptable performances at the World Cup, and then prepare for the Asian Cup, because after the World Cup we will also undergo a generational change,” he said recently.

Iran ‌are grouped with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt at the June 11 to July 19 tournament, which represents a final shot at success for many in a squad that had previously been expected to reach the knockout rounds for the first time, but came up short.

In each of Iran’s six appearances at the World Cup, stretching back to its debut in 1978, the country has exited the competition at ⁠the end of the group phase, achieving only three wins ⁠in 18 matches.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has criticised Trump’s announcement of a freeze on strikes that Israel had planned to launch against areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut, saying “it is time to say no to Trump”.

“The time has come to do what duty requires and what is required is to strike Hezbollah, unleash our fighters, and restore security to the north,” he said on X.

“Mr Prime Minister, you said that a strong prime minister tells the president of the United States – ‘yes’ when possible, and ‘no’—when necessary. This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump—’no’.”