Coffin of former Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei arrives in Iraq for funeral processions

The coffin of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf on Tuesday, continuing a multi-day procession following his death on February 28 in a US-Israeli airstrike. The arrival marks a significant moment as the ceremonies move to one of Shi'ite Islam's most sacred sites.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, along with senior Iraqi officials and Shi'ite religious figures, received the coffin at Najaf International Airport. Funeral ceremonies and a mass public procession are planned, with large crowds expected. Najaf is revered as the burial place of Imam Ali, a central figure in Shi'ism.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also in Najaf to attend the ceremonies. The procession, which began in Iran with stops in Tehran and the seminary city of Qom, is scheduled to continue to the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala. The coffin will eventually return to Iran for burial in Mashhad later this week.

Iranian authorities have organized the funeral events as both a religious commemoration and a display of continuity for the Islamic Republic. The death of Khamenei, who led Iran for nearly four decades, has prompted heightened security measures in Najaf as mourners gather from across Iraq and neighboring countries.