The funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became far more than a national day of mourning. The vast crowds in Tehran projected a message of resilience, with Iranian leaders seeking to show the United States and Israel that the Islamic Republic had survived the recent war and emerged determined to shape the next phase of regional diplomacy. Tehran turns survival into leverage Rather than signalling weakness after the conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28, Iranian officials used the funeral to reinforce a narrative of unity and endurance. Regional diplomats and analysts say Tehran is now attempting to convert that resilience into diplomatic leverage. Instead of returning immediately to nuclear negotiations, Iran is focusing on securing recognition of its strategic influence over the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz becomes the real battleground A 60-day ceasefire was intended to restart talks over Iran's nuclear programme. Instead, attention has shifted towards control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass. Analysts say Tehran increasingly views the waterway as its strongest bargaining chip. Rather than treating Hormuz as an economic asset alone, Iranian leaders see it as a symbol of regional authority that they are unwilling to trade for sanctions relief. Iran slows talks as pressure shifts Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf described the Strait of Hormuz as Iran's "greatest power tool" and insisted the country would never surrender its rights there. Former US diplomat Alan Eyre said Tehran appears content to drag out negotiations, believing time is working in its favour. Iran, which continues to deny seeking nuclear weapons, is prioritising consolidation of its regional position before addressing the nuclear file. Washington faces a tougher diplomatic test Former US negotiator Aaron David Miller argues the military campaign failed to weaken Iran's strategic leverage, leaving diplomacy centred on implementing an uneasy ceasefire rather than resolving the wider dispute. Regional experts believe Tehran calculates that President Donald Trump faces greater political pressure to secure an agreement than Iran does to make concessions. Gulf officials also fear the conflict has cemented Iran's influence around Hormuz, creating a new regional reality that will be difficult for Washington and its allies to reverse. Analysis - Khamenei funeral signals Iran's defiance and new regional order
