Khamenei’s body arrives in Iraq, to be taken to Karbala today

The body of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has arrived in Iraq ahead of funeral ceremonies in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

According to Iran’s state-run Press TV, the aircraft carrying Khamenei’s coffin and the bodies of several family members landed at Najaf International Airport on Tuesday night. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi received the coffin during an official ceremony.

The coffins will be taken to Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday for funeral prayers, with millions of mourners expected to attend. Iraq has declared a public holiday to mark the occasion.

Khamenei’s first funeral prayer was held in Tehran on Sunday at Grand Square.

Later on Wednesday, the body will be taken to the shrines of Imam Ali in Najaf and Imam Hussein and Hazrat Abbas in Karbala. In accordance with his reported wishes, Khamenei is scheduled to be buried on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad.