Pezeshkian, Iraqi PM attend reception to receive Ayatollah Khamenei's body in Najaf

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi led an official reception at Najaf International Airport to receive the body of the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The arrival marked the beginning of funeral ceremonies scheduled in Najaf and Karbala.

The aircraft carrying Khamenei's coffin and family members landed Tuesday night. Funeral processions are planned for Wednesday, with millions of Iraqis anticipated to attend, reflecting Khamenei's respected status as a cleric and a source of emulation for Shia Muslims in Iraq. To accommodate the extensive events, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared Wednesday a public holiday.

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Najaf Airport became a scene of mourning for the martyred leader of the revolution.

President Pezeshkian traveled to Najaf to attend the funeral and engage in high-level discussions with Iraqi officials. He expressed gratitude to the Iraqi government and people for hosting the ceremonies, emphasizing the deep historical, cultural, and religious ties between the two nations and highlighting Islamic solidarity. Pezeshkian met with Prime Minister al-Zaidi in Baghdad, where he reiterated the need to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest and invited the Prime Minister to visit Tehran to foster new political, economic, security, and regional collaboration.

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The Iraqi government and people considered participation in the funeral ceremonies a moral and religious duty.

During their talks, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of maintaining regional stability, security, and lasting peace. He also commented on international agreements, stating that while Iran has fulfilled its commitments, past experiences with the United States have shown a lack of adherence to obligations. Iran, he asserted, will not tolerate any breaches of agreements.

Prime Minister al-Zaidi conveyed his condolences and affirmed that the Iraqi government and people considered participating in the funeral a moral and religious duty. He described the late Iranian leader as a transformative figure in the Islamic world and reaffirmed Baghdad's commitment to expanding strategic cooperation with Iran based on mutual respect, shared interests, and good neighborly relations.

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The late Iranian leader was a transformative figure in the Islamic world.