U.S. strikes on Iran reportedly disrupted rail travel Thursday ahead of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad, prompting outrage from the IRGC, which accused Washington of trying to derail the late supreme leader’s funeral procession.
Iranian state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) claimed a U.S. strike damaged part of the Tehran-Mashhad railway, temporarily halting passenger train service along one of the country’s busiest routes.
“Following the criminal US attack early this morning on a section of the Tehran-Mashhad railway, passenger train services have been disrupted,” IRIB posted on X.
The reported strike left passengers stranded as thousands traveled to Mashhad for Khamenei’s funeral. According to IRIB, some travelers began chanting, “Iranians do not accept humiliation, even at the cost of their own lives.”
State media said repair crews were working to restore the damaged rail line while officials arranged buses and other road transportation to get mourners to Mashhad.
The transportation disruption comes as Iran prepares to bury Khamenei in Mashhad after a weeklong state-organized funeral procession.
Milan, Italy – January 17, 2026: People burn a photo depicting Ali Khamenei, former Supreme Leader of Iran, during a demonstration in solidarity with Iranian protestors
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday that the U.S. intentionally targeted the railway to overshadow Khamenei’s burial, according to Iranian state media.
Iran’s state-backed funeral events, which began last week, have served not only as religious ceremonies but also as a show of strength and continuity for the Islamic Republic following the death of the leader who ruled the country for nearly four decades.
Khamenei’s body was carried through a series of public events in Qom, Najaf, and Karbala before the procession reached Mashhad, home to Iran’s holiest Shiite shrine and Khamenei’s final resting place.
Separately, the IRGC-linked Fars news agency reported that overnight U.S. strikes also hit the Aq Taqeh Khan railway bridge in Golestan province.
The bridge sits along a key rail corridor connecting Tehran with Central Asia before extending into China and Russia through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, making it one of Iran’s most important overland trade routes.
The route has become increasingly important during this year’s U.S. blockade of Iran’s Gulf ports. It has also been used by Russia to ship cargo into Iran since late 2025, according to Fars.
Fars reported that repairs to the bridge were expected to be completed quickly.
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