Iran Media Says US Pressured Khamenei Funeral Envoys

An Iranian source claimed late July 3 that the United States spent five days pressing governments not to send delegations to Ali Khamenei's funeral ceremonies in Tehran. The claim alleged Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a June 26 instruction to U.S. missions, Arab diplomats were contacted directly, and African states were warned attendance could affect U.S. aid. It framed the account as an Iranian-media claim, with at least 13 countries reportedly skipping and one North African state downgrading. Washington has not publicly confirmed it, but Tehran is clearly trying to turn the funeral into an anti-Western mobilization test after Israeli and U.S. strikes decapitated the regime.