NPR News: 07-04-2026 7PM EDT

Dan Ronan· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Funeral ceremonies and processions for the late Iranian supreme leader are underway in Tehran. He was killed in the U.S.'s Israeli airstrikes in February, and the funeral comes during a fragile ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi reports from Istanbul.

Hadeel Al-Shalchi0:22

[crowd cheering] A huge crowd of people chanted "Death to America" as they gathered at a prayer complex in Tehran, where they visited the caskets of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and four of those killed from his family. People held up signs that read #KillTrump. Others waved flags, red ones that symbolize revenge, and many yellow ones that represented the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia, Hezbollah. The group has been fighting with Israel since the beginning of the war. While there was no sign of the current Iranian leader, Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, the Iranian president and the Iranian speaker of parliament were seen praying near the coffins. Khamenei will be buried in his birthplace of Mashhad next Thursday. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.

Dan Ronan· Host1:06

In Washington, organizers called off the Independence Day parade late Friday, citing the extreme heat warning. As Willem Marx reports, this evening's fireworks display is still scheduled to go.

Willem Marx1:19

Washington's National Independence Day Parade was canceled, according to an announcement from organizers emailed late Friday night. The parade had been scheduled to mark the nation's two hundred and fiftieth birthday and to begin mid-morning Saturday.