Vast crowds mourn Khamenei in Iraq's holy cities

Vast crowds filled the streets of Iraq's holy cities on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, to mourn Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mourners gathered at the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, where they carried Khamenei's coffin and many attempted to touch it. Karim Hassan, an attendee in Najaf, called Khamenei's death "a calamity, a tragedy" and the funeral ceremonies "a fitting tribute" to "a leader who cannot even be described."

In Karbala, mourners waved Iranian flags and held portraits of Khamenei as they awaited the coffin. The procession is part of six days of funeral ceremonies that began in Iran on Saturday. The Islamic republic dedicated a day to Iraq, a Shia powerhouse with close ties to Tehran.

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a calamity, a tragedy

The marathon ceremonies, which started in Tehran and passed through Qom, will conclude with Khamenei's burial on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad. Iran hopes these events will project strength and unity after the Middle East war, which began with US-Israeli strikes that killed Khamenei and relatives on February 28. Despite the scorching heat, crowds filled Najaf's streets, with clerics holding prayers over Khamenei's remains at the Imam Ali shrine. The coffin then traveled by land to Karbala, where mourners had gathered early, some arriving a day prior, to secure spots near the sacred sites. Water sprinklers offered some relief as chants praising the Islamic republic and its "axis of resistance" leaders echoed from loudspeakers.

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are a fitting tribute to a leader who cannot even be described