Millions Join Funeral Ceremonies for Imam Khamenei in Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala

By Staff, Agencies

Millions of mourners have gathered in Iraq’s holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to take part in the funeral ceremonies of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, with Iraqi officials reporting attendance in the millions.

The official funeral procession began at 6:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday in Najaf after funeral prayers were held over Ayatollah Khamenei’s body at the shrine of Imam Ali [AS].

The procession departed from the Imam Ali [AS] shrine, passing through Kufa Bridge and the Thawrat Al-Ashreen intersection before reaching Al-Sadreen Square. From there, the body was transported to Karbala for further funeral ceremonies.

Hashd Al-Shaabi, Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, announced that more than 2.3 million people had participated in the funeral procession in Najaf, adding that the number continued to rise as mourners arrived from across the country.

Separately, Al-Mayadeen television, citing the Karbala governorate, reported that authorities had recorded approximately seven million mourners in Karbala.

From the early hours of Wednesday morning, large numbers of mourners streamed into Najaf from across Iraq. Reports described the gathering as “million-strong” and “unprecedented.”

Roads leading into the city were heavily congested as participants traveled from provinces including Basra, Muthanna and Maysan, while additional crowds entered Najaf through its eastern approaches.

The six-kilometer funeral route was lined with mourners carrying portraits of Ayatollah Khamenei and waving Iraqi, Iranian and Hezbollah flags.

Najaf was immersed in an atmosphere of mourning as elegies and religious chants echoed throughout the city. A specially prepared vehicle carrying Imam Khamenei’s body moved slowly through the densely packed crowds toward the main procession route.

Security personnel and organizing committees remained deployed along the route to facilitate the movement of mourners and maintain order during the ceremonies.

Earlier in the day, funeral prayers were held over Ayatollah Khamenei and members of his family at the shrine of Imam Ali [AS] before the official procession commenced.

Following the ceremonies in Najaf, the bodies were transferred to Karbala, where farewell ceremonies were held at the shrines of Imam Hussein [AS] and his martyred brother Abbas [AS].

According to reports, mourning tents had been erected along the funeral route, while black banners adorned streets and public squares throughout Najaf.

Although the ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala were expected to conclude within several hours, reports said the scale of the gatherings made the event one of the largest in the modern history of both cities, which annually host millions of pilgrims during the Islamic months of Muharram, Safar, Shaaban and Ramadan.

Correspondents reported exceptional traffic congestion on all roads leading into Najaf as Iraqi citizens and foreign visitors continued arriving to participate in the funeral ceremonies.

Among those attending was Ammar Al-Hakim, leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who heads Iraq’s State of Law coalition, described participation in Imam Khamenei’s funeral and the commemoration of his legacy as “a duty.”

“Commemorating the legacy of the martyred Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the great leader of the Islamic nation, and participating in his funeral is a duty because he was a great leader who remained steadfast, endured, stood against challenges and brought victory to the Iranian nation,” Maliki said in remarks carried by the Iraqi News Agency.

He added that the participation of the Iraqi people in the funeral and their expressions of solidarity, regardless of their scale, could not fully reflect the stature of Ayatollah Khamenei, whom he described as a figure who shaped a bright future not only for Iran but for many countries across the region.

Maliki further said Ayatollah Khamenei “remained steadfast, resisted and stood against major powers known for their immense military strength until victory was achieved,” adding that the Iranian nation emerged victorious through patience, perseverance and steadfastness despite enduring significant challenges and sacrifices.

“We see the results of all this in the successes of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whether in political negotiations or on the battlefields,” he said.

Maliki also said Iraq’s message is that “the Islamic Republic of Iran is not alone, but has friends who stand beside it and support it,” adding that Iran “stands on the side of truth” and enjoys support from people around the world, even where political circumstances prevent that support from being expressed openly.

Throughout Wednesday morning, Najaf’s streets remained filled with mourners in what correspondents described as a historic farewell marked by unprecedented public participation.

The official procession followed a reception ceremony at Najaf International Airport, where Ayatollah Khamenei’s body was received by senior Iraqi officials alongside prominent political and religious figures.

In recognition of the occasion, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi declared Wednesday an official public holiday throughout Iraq to coincide with the funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader and his family.

The multi-day funeral began on Friday, when Ayatollah Khamenei’s body lay in state at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla, where foreign dignitaries and religious figures paid their respects. Public farewell ceremonies continued on Saturday, followed by funeral prayers on Sunday.

On Monday, millions lined the streets of Tehran as the funeral procession moved through the Iranian capital.

On Tuesday, millions more gathered at the Holy Jamkaran Mosque in Qom to offer funeral prayers for the martyred Leader.

The final funeral rites are scheduled to take place on Thursday in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, where Ayatollah Khamenei will be laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza [AS], the eighth Shia Imam, in accordance with his will.

Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated alongside several members of his family on February 28, the opening day of the 40-day war of aggression launched by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.

Following his martyrdom, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution.