Najaf, Jul 08 (V7N)- The body of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has arrived in Iraq as part of a multi-day funeral procession, with thousands of mourners gathering in the holy city of Najaf to pay their respects.
According to Iranian state media and international reports, Khamenei's coffin arrived at Najaf International Airport on Tuesday evening, where it was received by senior Iraqi and Iranian officials before funeral ceremonies began. Large crowds lined the route from the airport, mourning the late leader and participating in religious observances.
The funeral procession is scheduled to continue on Wednesday in the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, where millions of mourners are expected to attend. Iraqi authorities have declared Wednesday a public holiday to facilitate the ceremonies and honor Khamenei, who is regarded by many Shiite Muslims as a highly influential religious and political figure.
Earlier, the main funeral prayer was held in Tehran on Sunday, led by senior cleric Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani. Members of Khamenei's family, including several of his children and close relatives, attended the ceremony alongside senior Iranian officials and religious leaders.
Following the ceremonies in Najaf, Khamenei's coffin will be taken to the shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) in Karbala before returning to Iran. He is expected to be buried on July 9 in the courtyard of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, one of Iran's most sacred religious sites.
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