Iran has warned Donald Trump and Israel not to launch strikes as the country prepares for the state funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the first day of the war.
Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the “enemies of Iran” should avoid a “miscalculation” or else face harsh retaliation.
Funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on July 4 in Tehran and conclude on July 9 with his burial in his hometown of Mashhad, with additional ceremonies planned in Qom and Iraq in-between these dates.
On Thursday, pictured showed IRGC soldiers carrying the coffin of Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife Zahra Haddad Adel ahead of her funeral ceremony.
Meanwhile, Trump told reporters that the “denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well” and that “very good meetings” were held in Qatar as he and his vice president played down any suggestion of a return to all-out combat.
Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to meet mediators, but no direct talks have taken place.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said the talks made “positive progress” on issues related to the interim agreement.
Preparations underway in Iran for Ali Khamenei’s funeral
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar3 July 2026 05:30
Powerful general in Iran emerges from hiding
A powerful general who leads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged from hiding as Tehran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Photos published online by Iranian state media showed Gen Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran’s theocracy held a smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader’s former home in downtown Tehran.
Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say.
He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, the elder Khamenei.
Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war began.
Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for Khamenei near the husseiniyah at his compound in Tehran.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar3 July 2026 05:00
Oil up slightly ahead of long US weekend
Oil prices rose slightly today before a long holiday weekend in the U.S. as wary optimism held over efforts to make peace in the Middle East between the US and Iran.
Brent futures were up 17 cents, or 0.24 per cent, to $72.10 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate was up 14 cents, or 0.20 per cent, to $68.83 a barrel.
US markets will close on Friday ahead of the US Independence Day holiday on Saturday.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar3 July 2026 04:23
Iran war has created growing rift between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince: report
A widening rift has opened up between Saudi Arabia and the United States because of the war in Iran, a report claims.
Officials told the Wall Street Journal the partnership between Washington and Riyadh is souring over disputes on how President Donald Trump has handled the war, which began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran in February.
The US is reportedly now considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia and instead putting its forces in countries it feels were more supportive during the war, including Israel and Jordan, according to the WSJ.
The White House, meanwhile, has insisted relations between the US and Saudi are still strong.
Iran war has created growing rift between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince: report
The US is now considering reducing its military footprint in Saudi Arabia, a report claimsMaira Butt3 July 2026 01:30
Polymarket reports some European leaders say Hormuz toll as ‘inevitable’
Polymarket, a prediction market, has reported that some European leaders are saying that a toll in the Strait of Hormuz is now seen as “inevitable”.
It was not immediately clear which leaders believe this or what the reports were based on, in the short post shared on their social media page on X.
It speculated that there is now a 44 per cent chance that Iran will implement such a toll by the end of August.
President Donald Trump has insisted that he will now agree to the imposition of a toll over the vital shipping route. But reports have suggested that Iran and Oman may seek to implement a charge for commercial ships.
Polymarket reports some European leaders say Hormuz toll as ‘inevitable’
Polymarket, a prediction market, has reported that some European leaders are saying that a toll in the Strait of Hormuz is now seen as “inevitable”.
It was not immediately clear which leaders believe this or what the reports were based on, in the short post shared on their social media page on X.
President Donald Trump has insisted that he will now agree to the imposition of a toll over the vital shipping route. But reports have suggested that Iran and Oman may seek to implement a charge for commercial ships.
Watch: Vance says US ‘in great position’ with Iran war as Tehran says peace talks on hold
Trump: Iran has agreed to ‘everything’ we need
President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to “just about everything we need”, according to Reuters.
Discussions and negotiations are ongoing in an effort to secure a permanent ceasefire between the countries.
UK politician says Reza Pahlavi should ‘not be given platform’ to rule in Iran
British member of Parliament Bob Blackman has hit out at Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the last shah of Iran and Crown Prince of the Pahlavi dynasty.
Pahlavi was positioned as a replacement to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but appears to have been unable to mobilise enough support or resources to return to Iran amid the ongoing war.
In a post on X on Thursday, Blackman wrote: “Reza Pahlavi should not be given a platform to justify replacing one form of authoritarian rule with another.
“A return to the monarchy in Iran is not welcome, especially as he has failed to condemn the previous Shah’s dictatorship and for claiming support from the IRGC.”
He said he would be putting his support behind Iranian dissident politician Maryam Rajavi instead.
Exclusive: Pardoned Iranian nuclear negotiator sues FIFA over team’s World Cup loss against Egypt
An Iranian political scientist once accused by the feds of working as an unregistered agent for Tehran has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against FIFA, association president Gianni Infantino, and an unknown number of anonymous FIFA officials after the nation’s World Cup team was eliminated from competition by a controversial on-field call.
Lotfolah Kaveh Afrasiabi, who, among other things, served as an official adviser to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team when talks were underway with former president Barack Obama, is petitioning for class-action status on behalf of up to 91 million “Iranian nationals and/or Iranian-Americans who supported the Iran football national team and who were emotionally scarred by the flagrant discrimination against their beloved team,” according to a civil complaint filed June 30 in Boston federal court.
Pardoned Iranian ‘influence agent’ sues FIFA over team’s World Cup loss
Exclusive: Lotfolah Kaveh Afrasiabi, who was part of a 2023 prisoner swap with Iran, told The Independent that he considers his $1 billion demand to be ‘very generous,’ if not a bit lowMaira Butt2 July 2026 21:30NewerOlder