Khamenei’s coffin carried through Iraq’s holiest Shia shrines
Massive crowds gather in Najaf and Karbala as funeral ceremonies continue amid renewed military escalation between Iran and the United States
NAJAF, Iraq (MNTV) — The coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was carried through two of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines in Iraq on Wednesday as funeral ceremonies entered their fifth day, drawing tens of thousands of mourners ahead of his burial in Iran.
Large crowds gathered in the holy city of Najaf as Khamenei’s coffin was taken in a funeral procession that concluded at the shrine of Imam Ali, the first Shia Imam and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Inside the shrine, mourners pressed forward to touch the coffin before funeral prayers were held.
The coffin was later flown to the holy city of Karbala, where another large procession accompanied it to the shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whose martyrdom remains a defining event in Shia Islam.
Khamenei, who was killed on the opening day of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel, is scheduled to be buried on Thursday in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.
Among the mourners in Najaf was Mohammed al-Bayati, who described attending the funeral as an opportunity to honor a leader who had challenged the United States and Israel. Crowds repeatedly chanted slogans condemning both countries during the procession.
Video from the ceremonies showed mourners attempting to reach and touch the coffin as it was carried through the Imam Ali shrine before senior clerics led the funeral prayers.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and several senior Iranian officials traveled to Iraq on Tuesday evening to participate in the ceremonies. They were received by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani after Baghdad declared Wednesday a public holiday to facilitate the funeral events.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, did not attend the ceremonies and has not appeared publicly since reportedly being seriously wounded in the Israeli strike that killed his father and several members of his family earlier this year.
Pezeshkian returned to Tehran early Wednesday as tensions escalated after the United States launched fresh strikes against Iranian military targets following attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington accused Tehran of carrying out the attacks on shipping and said U.S. forces struck dozens of Iranian military sites in response. Iran said it retaliated by targeting American military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
U.S. President Donald Trump later declared that the preliminary ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran was effectively “over,” casting further doubt on efforts to negotiate a lasting settlement.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused the United States of violating the agreement and vowed that Iran would not yield under pressure.
The memorandum of understanding signed by Trump and Pezeshian had provided a two-month framework for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. sanctions and a permanent ceasefire, while also seeking to restore normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for nearly one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments.
Qatar, which has been mediating indirect talks between the two sides, said last week that negotiations in Doha had made positive progress and that discussions were expected to resume after the conclusion of Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies.
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