Iranians are set to gather in Tehran on Wednesday night to bid farewell to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his reported death in weekend airstrikes attributed to Israel and the United States, according to Iranian state media.

Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Council, announced that the farewell ceremony will begin at 10 p.m. local time at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall in the capital.

The public will be permitted to pay their respects, with commemorations expected to continue for three days. Details of the funeral procession are expected to be announced at a later stage, Reuters reported.

Images circulating from Tehran show makeshift memorials set up across the city, with citizens gathering to mourn the longtime leader, who was 86. Authorities have called on the public to attend the ceremony in large numbers.

Khamenei, who led Iran for more than three decades, was a central figure in shaping the country’s domestic and foreign policy, maintaining a firm stance against both the United States and Israel.

Iranian state media reported that he was killed on Saturday in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, a development that has dramatically escalated tensions in the region.

The reported killing marks a pivotal moment for Iran, raising questions about succession, internal stability, and the broader geopolitical consequences for the Middle East.

The U.S. Mission to Pakistan has suspended all visa appointments at its embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Lahore and Karachi through Friday, March 6, citing the current security situation.

In a notice to applicants, the mission said routine visa services would remain paused during this period. Officials did not elaborate on the specific security concerns but confirmed that affected applicants would receive instructions on how to reschedule once operations resume.

“Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6,” the embassy said in a post on X, advising applicants to monitor official channels for further updates.

The extended suspension follows an earlier decision to cancel all visa and American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 2.

In a security alert issued March 1, the mission said it was tracking reports of demonstrations outside the U.S. Consulate General in Lahore and protests near the consulate in Karachi, as well as calls for further gatherings near the embassy in Islamabad and the consulate in Peshawar.

As a precaution, U.S. government personnel were instructed to restrict their movements until further notice.

The mission also urged American citizens in Pakistan to follow local media coverage, remain vigilant, avoid large crowds and ensure their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) registration is up to date.

The suspension comes amid nationwide protests triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Violent clashes erupted outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, leaving multiple people dead and dozens injured, according to local authorities.

Demonstrations were also reported in major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, where protesters confronted law enforcement.

In Islamabad, authorities imposed Section 144 and sealed routes leading to the capital’s diplomatic enclave.

In Karachi, demonstrators attempted to advance toward the consulate compound, prompting police to use tear gas and other crowd-control measures to disperse them. Officials reported at least 10 fatalities and 36 injuries in the unrest.

U.S. Marines opened fire as demonstrators stormed the American consulate in Karachi over the weekend, two U.S. officials confirmed Monday.

This was a rare use of force at a diplomatic facility that risks further inflaming tensions in Pakistan amid widespread unrest following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after protesters breached the outer wall of the U.S. consulate compound in Karachi, according to local authorities. The unrest erupted after Khamenei was killed in strikes on Iran, triggering demonstrations across several Pakistani cities.

Citing preliminary information, the two U.S. officials said it remains unclear whether rounds fired by the Marines struck or killed any of the demonstrators. They added that it was not yet known whether other personnel guarding the mission — including private security contractors or local police — also discharged their weapons.

If confirmed, the incident would mark the first official acknowledgment that U.S. Marines fired on protesters at the consulate during the unrest. A provincial government spokesperson, Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, said “security personnel” had opened fire but did not specify which force was responsible.

Security at U.S. diplomatic facilities is typically handled by a combination of private contractors and host-nation forces, with Marines assigned primarily to protect classified materials and secure compounds during emergencies. Their reported involvement underscores the severity of the threat perceived at the mission.

Nationwide unrest

Pakistan, home to the world’s second-largest Shi’ite population after Iran, has seen escalating protests since the strikes on Iran. Authorities imposed a nationwide ban on large public gatherings on Monday after demonstrations spread, with at least 26 deaths reported across the country.

Outside the consulate in Karachi, protesters chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans as clashes intensified. Journalists on the scene reported hearing gunfire and seeing tear gas deployed in surrounding streets.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show at least one protester firing a weapon toward the compound, while injured demonstrators fled as shots rang out. A Karachi police official told reporters that gunfire originated from inside the consulate grounds.

The Marines referred inquiries to the U.S. military, which in turn directed questions to the U.S. Department of State. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Shi’ite community leaders have called for further demonstrations in Lahore and Karachi despite the government’s ban.

Roads leading to the Karachi consulate were sealed off under heavy police guard, with similar security measures reported around U.S. diplomatic missions in Islamabad and Lahore.

The United States maintains its embassy in Islamabad and additional consulates in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.