Shafaq News- Karbala
More than four million mourners gathered in Iraq’s Karbala for the funeral procession of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Popular Mobilization Commission (PMC) stated on Wednesday.
The PMC, which is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (a coalition of predominantly Shia armed groups), described the figure as preliminary and noted that Khamenei’s coffin had not yet entered the street designated for the procession.
The late leader’s body arrived in Karbala on Wednesday afternoon for funeral rites at the shrines of the third Shia Imam Hussein and his brother Al-Abbas, after ceremonies began earlier in Najaf under tight security and broad official Iraqi-Iranian participation.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi led the official reception ceremony in Najaf alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and senior Iranian officials. Iraqi political, religious, tribal, and community figures also attended the reception, including leaders of the Shia Coordination Framework, the ruling parliamentary bloc; State of Law Coalition head Nouri Al-Maliki; Badr Organization Secretary-General Hadi Al-Amiri; Asaib Ahl Al-Haq leader Qais Al-Khazali; Hikma Movement chief Ammar Al-Hakim; and Taqaddum head Mohammed Al-Halbousi.
The Iraq leg of the funeral was limited to Najaf and Karbala because Iraq had 24 hours to host the ceremonies, Higher Committee spokesperson Lt. Gen. Saad Maan explained earlier.
After the Karbala rites, Khamenei’s body is scheduled to return to Najaf International Airport for transfer to Iran’s Mashhad, where he is to be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine on July 9.
