The funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes in February, have moved to the Iraqi city of Najaf, drawing crowds of thousands and prompting the temporary closure of the city’s airport.
The body of the rahbar, transported from Iran, arrived in Najaf on Wednesday, Iraqi state television reported. Najaf, one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities, is the burial place of Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and holds profound significance for the faith’s adherents.
The city’s main square has filled with thousands of mourners, including senior Iraqi officials, Muslim and Christian clergy, and political figures. Commanders from local pro-Iranian paramilitary groups and Shia militias were also in attendance. In light of the ceremonies, Najaf International Airport has been closed to all flights until the morning of July 9.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, who is leading the delegation visiting Iraq, expressed gratitude for what he called the “dignified stance” of Iraq’s government and people. Pezeshkian praised Iraq’s “considerable efforts and co-operation” in facilitating the mourning events, and stressed that the two nations are bound by “deep ties.”
The first large-scale funeral procession in a days-long farewell to Ali Khamenei took place in central Tehran on July 3. Two days later, his three sons — Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud — paid their final respects. On July 7, the coffin was transported to Qom, Iran’s primary religious centre, where a crowd of more than 100,000 people took part in the ceremony.
