The funeral procession for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in the Iranian holy city of Mashhad has been delayed because of the huge number of people attending the ceremonies in Iraq.
The committee responsible for the funeral announced that the procession, originally scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, will now begin at 2:00 p.m. local time due to the large crowds in Iraq.
During the ceremony, Ayatollah Khamenei’s body will be carried along Imam Reza (AS) Street to the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.
Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated along with some of his family members on February 28 during what Iran described as the first day of the 40-day illegal war launched by the United States and Israel.
The funeral ceremonies began in Tehran on Friday, where people, foreign officials, and religious leaders paid their respects. Public farewell events continued over the weekend, followed by a funeral procession through Tehran on Monday and ceremonies in Qom on Tuesday.
The funeral later moved to Iraq, where large farewell ceremonies were held in Najaf and Karbala. According to initial Iraqi media reports, more than seven million people took part in the funeral processions in the two cities.
Following the 24-hour procession in Iraq, the plane carrying the bodies of Ayatollah Khamenei and his family members departed Najaf for Mashhad on Thursday morning.
IRGC Quds Force Commander Brigadier General Esmail Qaani thanked the Iraqi people and government for organizing what he described as a historic and magnificent funeral. He said the large gathering showed Muslim unity and honored a leader who dedicated his life to serving the Islamic Ummah.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also thanked the Iraqi people, government, and religious, tribal, and security authorities for supporting the funeral ceremonies. He said the millions of participants and Iraq’s hospitality reflected the strong religious, historical, and cultural ties between Iran and Iraq.
Araghchi added that the ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala marked another important chapter in relations between the two neighboring countries and highlighted their shared Islamic values and friendship.
