Shafaq News- Karbala
Mourners brought the body of Iran's late Supreme Leader AliKhamenei to the shrines of Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas in Iraq's holy city ofKarbala on Wednesday evening, where thousands gathered alongside Iraqi andIranian officials to take part in the funeral ceremonies.
The procession began at Sayyid Jawda Square in centralKarbala before moving along Al-Abbas Street to the provincial governmentheadquarters and then to the Qibla Gate of the Imam Hussein Shrine, Shafaq Newscorrespondent reported.
Organizers scheduled a farewell prayer and visitationceremony at the Imam Hussein Shrine, led by Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalaei,the official representative of Iraq's highest Shiite religious authority. Theprocession will then continue through the area between the two shrines to theImam Abbas Shrine for a second ceremony.
Large crowds delayed the procession's arrival in Karbalaafter mourners accompanied the convoy from the neighboring city of Najaf, whileadditional crowds gathered along the city's outskirts, the correspondent said.
The convoy also made repeated stops along the Najaf-Karbalaroad as residents gathered to greet the funeral procession with chants, slowingits progress toward the city.
Iranian media said that Iran has changed the funeral schedule for Khamenei,citing delays in the transfer of his body to the northeastern city of Mashhad.
Earlier on Wednesday, funeral ceremonies began in Najafunder heightened security and organizational measures, drawing massive crowdsthat exceeded expectations and strained arrangements made by the organizingcommittee and the Imam Ali Shrine administration.