Khamenei’s coffin passes through Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala ahead of burial in Mashhad

The coffin of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been returned to Iran from Iraq following solemn funeral rites held in both Najaf and Karbala. His arrival in Mashhad drew large crowds as the community prepared for his burial at the Imam Reza shrine. Khamenei passed away on February 28 during a US-Israel operation, and current tensions continue with strikes exchanged between Iran and the US.

Iranian state television reported that the burial ceremony, originally expected on Thursday morning in Mashhad, had been delayed because of the scale of the crowds that gathered in Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday.

Millions gathered in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq to pay their respects at the funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader.

The six-day funeral ceremonies will end with Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei's burial in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday.

Thousands attend Khamenei funeral processions in Najaf and Karbala Tens of thousands of mourners attended funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. Khamenei's remains have now returned to Iran, where he will be laid to rest in Mashhad on 9 July. The 86-year-old leader was killed in a US-Israeli attack on his compound in Tehran in late February.

Late Iranian supreme leader's body taken through Najaf and Karbala as regional tensions remain high following renewed US-Iran strikes.

The remains of Iran's late supreme leader are transported to Najaf and Karbala, as funeral ceremonies continue for a fifth day.

Thousands of mourners gathered in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Wednesday to attend funeral processions for Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei's coffin was carried on a large truck and driven through the streets, draped in the Iranian flag as it continued to other Shiite holy sites before returning to Iran for...

Huge crowds mourn Khamenei during funeral procession in Najaf Thousands of people thronged the streets of Najaf and packed the courtyards of its majestic shrine as they mourned the late supreme leader during his funeral procession in Iraq. Iran began six days of public funeral ceremonies for Khamenei on Saturday, including a dedicated day in neighbouring Iraq, home to the most sacred Shia shrines. After a massive procession in Iran's holy city of Qom, Khamenei's body was brought Tuesday night to Iraq, where authorities declared Wednesday a public holiday. Inside the shrine, thousands jostled to get closer to the coffin as it was carried away in the mausoleum's halls -- its last stop in Najaf before being flown to the other holy city of Karbala. Khamenei's funeral will conclude with his burial on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad in northeast Iran. (Reporting by AFP) Mourners carrying the coffins of relatives of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Imam Abbas Shrine in Karbala on July 8, 2026, ahead of a funeral procession. (AFP)

Thousands of mourners thronged Najaf as the coffin of the late supreme leader moved through the city.

Funeral processions for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have begun Wednesday in Najaf, Iraq, with thousands of mourners present

Mourners ​marched through Iraq's holy city of Najaf on ​Wednesday, following the coffin of slain Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as his six-day funeral procession, which drew ​huge ‌crowds in his home country, pressed ⁠on across the border.

Najaf’s streets filled wall to wall on Saturday as the coffin of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei was carried through the Shia holy city, turning a day of mourning into a regional display of faith and politics centred on Iraq’s most revered shrines. Iran has launched six days of public funeral ceremonies for Khamenei, with […]

Najaf's selection as a stop on the funeral route carries deep religious weight: the city is home to the shrine of Imam Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad, and ranks among the most sacred sites in Shi'ite Islam worldwide.

In the cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to two of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites, hundreds of thousands attended commemorations for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who extended Iran’s influence into Iraq.

Khamenei's coffin made its way through the streets of Najaf to the shrine of Imam Ali, Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law.

Mourners marched through Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Wednesday, following the coffin of slain Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as his six-day funeral procession, which drew huge crowds in his home country, pressed on across the border. People carrying large portraits of the late leader gathered along the route and chanted “Death to America” […]

Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to make an appearance in the funeral ceremonies, which are unfolding over several days. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and senior Iraqi officials received the coffin at Najaf International Airport ahead of funeral ceremonies and a mass public procession, state TV reported.

(Fixes dateline)NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) July 8 - Mourners marched through Iraq's holy city of Najaf on Wednesday, following the coffin of slain Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as his six-day funeral procession, which drew huge crowds in his home country, pressed on across the border.People carrying large portraits of the late leader gathered along the route and chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" as Khamenei's coffin was driven on a large truck through the streets.

Funeral procession for Ali Khamenei passes through Najaf as thousands of mourners gather, touching the funeral truck and honouring the late leader.

Funeral processions for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have begun Wednesday in Najaf, Iraq, with thousands of mourners present

NAJAF, Iraq — Crowds thronged the streets of Najaf on Wednesday as the coffin of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei moved through the holy city in a procession devoted to Iraq, home to Shia Islam’s most sacred shrines. Iran began six days of public funeral ceremonies for Khamenei on Saturday, including a dedicated day to neighbouring Iraq, a Shia powerhouse with close ties to Tehran. The Islamic republic hopes the marathon ceremonies will project strength and unity after the Middle East war, which started with US-Israeli strikes that killed Khamenei and several relatives on February 28. READ: Crowds bid farewell […]...Keep on reading: Iraq's holy cities host funeral processions for Khamenei

The coffin carrying Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has arrived in one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities, Najaf.

In pictures: Funeral procession for Iran's slain supreme leader continues in Iraq's Najaf The funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued on in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Wednesday, amid fresh US attacks in Iran.  His burial is expected to be held on Thursday in the north east Iranian city of Mashhad. Crowds gather to mourn Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Najaf, Iraq, 8 July, 2026 (Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters) The coffin of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in Israeli and US air strikes, is carried in a vehicle in Najaf, Iraq, 8 July, 2026 (Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

Funeral processions carrying the coffin of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei will pass through Iraq's holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to Shia Islam's most sacred shrines.

Funeral processions for Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei will pass through Iraq's holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to Shia Islam's most sacred shrines.

Funeral processions carrying the coffin of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei will pass on Wednesday through Iraq's holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to Shia Islam's most sacred shrines. Najaf is the main centre of Shia religious seminaries, and is also home to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq's top Shia religious authority.

The funeral procession of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued to draw massive crowds as it made its way through the holy cities of Iraq, home to some of the Shia faith's most sacred shrines. The six-day funeral ceremony will conclude on Thursday when Khamenei's body is returned to Iran for burial in his hometown of Mashhad.

Iran began six days of public funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei on Saturday, including a dedicated day to neighbouring Iraq -- a Shia powerhouse with close ties to Tehran.

Six days of public funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader began on Saturday.

The body of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has arrived in Iraq for funeral processions in Shia holy cities. Learn more about the ceremonies. Read More: https://punchng.com/body-of-irans-khamenei-arrives-in-iraq-before-procession/

NAJAF, July 7 (Reuters) - The coffin of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Tuesday, where Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and senior Iraqi officials received it ahead of funeral ceremonies and a mass public procession, Iraqi state TV reported.The official reception at Najaf International Airport was attended by Iraqi political leaders and Shi’ite religious figures, before the coffin is carried through the city in public mourning events expected to draw large crowds on Wednesday.

The funeral ceremonies will continue in Qom before moving to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

Body of Iran's slain supreme leader arrives in Qom The body of Iran's slain supreme leader has arrived in Qom, according to state TV. State broadcaster IRIB shared footage of a helicopter hovering over Jamkaran Mosque in Qom province, saying on Telegram that it was carrying Khamenei's body. The procession is expected to continue in Qom tomorrow, before events are held in Najaf and Karbala in Iraq.

Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala to receive Khamenei’s remains The week-long funeral for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will extend beyond Iran, with ceremonies scheduled in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala later this week, according to Al Jazeera. After public mourning events in Tehran and a commemoration ceremony in Qom, Khamenei’s remains are expected to be flown to Iraq on Wednesday. Ceremonies will be held in Najaf and Karbala, home to the shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein, before the body is returned to Iran for burial in Mashhad at the Imam Reza shrine.  Mourners grieve during prayers for Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei on the second day of funeral ceremonies at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, 5 July 2026 (AFP)

When the Israeli-launched, Rafael-made Blue Sparrow missile hit its intended target in Iran on February 28, 2026, it did more than just claim lives—it marked the end of an era. The assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his well-fortified Tehran compound initially left the nation reeling, before it regrouped to mount a fierce resistance against the US and Israel.Preoccupied by the conflict and bound by strict security concerns, Iran is finally holding Khamenei's funeral ceremonies after a four-month delay. The late Ayatollah represented the very institution of Islamic governance in the country, serving as an institution in his own right rather than just an individual. Though his death was violent, his funeral will see the whole of Iran give him a major state send-off.According to an AFP report, the funeral processions will pass through a series of locations that reflect the religious, political and ideological pillars of the Islamic Republic. From the seat of power in Tehran to the holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad, each stop holds deep symbolic importance.Where will Iranians bid their final goodbye?The Iranian public will have a final opportunity to view Ayatollah Khamenei’s body at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla (Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall) this coming Saturday. The significance of this massive complex is both political and religious.The symbolism of the public viewing is profound, reflecting the late Ayatollah's dual role as both the supreme religious authority and the apex of a country built on clerical rule.Tehran: The institutional and military nerve centreThe funeral procession of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei through Tehran will hold deep significance because the capital represents the institutional, political and military nerve centre of the Islamic Republic. The image of streets filled with mourners offering their final homage will also carry an underlying message to domestic and international audiences that the core governing apparatus remains stable, unbroken, and unified despite the loss of its long-serving leader.Why the body goes to QomBringing his body to Qom, the theological heartbeat of Iran and the world's premier centre of Shia Islamic learning, serves as a vital bridge between the political state and the traditional clerical establishment. By parading the late leader through the city where his revolutionary identity was originally forged under Ayatollah Khomeini, the regime explicitly reinforces the religious and historical legitimacy of the Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) system at a time of immense vulnerability.Beyond honouring the past, this specific stop carries profound implications for the political transition, particularly in consolidating support for his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. Mojtaba maintains deep personal roots in the Qom Seminary, where he studied and later taught theology to build his own network among the powerful grand ayatollahs. Choice of Karbala: Ethos of martyrdomThe inclusion of Karbala in the multi-city funeral procession for Ayatollah Khamenei is a profoundly symbolic move that blends raw geopolitical theatre with deep-seated religious narrative. It taps directly into the central spiritual pillar of Shia Islam, which is, the narrative of martyrdom. Karbala is the burial site of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, whose death at the Battle of Karbala forms the foundational ethos of sacrifice and resistance against tyranny for Shia Muslims. Ayatollah Khamenei's remains will also be taken to Najaf Taking Ayatollah Khamenei’s remains to Najaf serves an even deeper, more complex theological purpose than the stop in Karbala. While Karbala represents the emotional ethos of martyrdom, Najaf is the supreme seat of traditional Shia spiritual authority, housing the tomb of Imam Ali (the first Shia Imam) and the historical epicentre of Shia jurisprudence (the Hawza of Najaf). With Mojtaba Khamenei taking the reins as the third Supreme Leader, establishing his legitimacy across the entire Shia world is paramount. Parading the late Ayatollah through Najaf acts as a heavy-handed, symbolic demand for endorsement from the Iraqi clerical establishment, signalling that the leadership transition in Tehran expects deference from the entire transnational Shia network.Message behind the Iraqi itinerary The cross-border itinerary is a powerful projection of Iran's enduring regional influence and its Axis of Resistance. Conducting a highly coordinated state funeral across both Iran and Iraq requires the full mobilisation of Iraqi state machinery. By parading the coffin through Najaf and Karbala, Tehran is sending an unmistakable message to international adversaries and domestic audiences alike: Iran’s geopolitical grip on Iraq remains entirely intact.In Mashhad, Ayatollah Khamenei passes into historyThe final stop of the multi-city funeral procession brings Ayatollah Khamenei to Mashhad, his birthplace and the physical conclusion of his 87-year journey. He will be laid to rest at the sprawling Imam Reza Shrine—the burial site of the eighth Shia Imam and the ultimate spiritual heart of Iran. By placing his tomb within this sacred complex, the regime permanently weaves his legacy into the fabric of Shia history transforming a political ruler into a permanent object of religious reverence. This homecoming neatly closes the circle of his life, tracing a direct line from his early days as a local anti-Shah dissident in Mashhad’s mosques to the long-serving leader who reshaped the modern Middle East.

People walk past a mural with a picture of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.—Reuters TEHRAN: The funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will pass through a series of locations that reflect the religious, political and ideological pillars of the Islamic republic. From the seat of power in Tehran to the holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad, each stop holds symbolic importance. Political, religious stage The public viewing at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla on Saturday places the deceased leader at one of the Islamic republic’s most important ceremonial venues. Built to host major Friday prayers, state commemorations and religious gatherings, the vast complex has long linked religious life and state authority. The Mosalla’s significance is as much political as it is religious. It has hosted speeches by senior officials, national ceremonies and mass events aimed at showing unity and support for the state. Holding the public viewing there highlights Khamenei’s role both as a religious authority and as the head of a political system founded on clerical rule. Farewell from the capital The funeral procession through the streets of Tehran represents a final farewell from the country’s political centre. The capital houses the presidency, parliament, judiciary, military headquarters and most major state institutions. Large gatherings and marches in Tehran are common throughout the year and have often been used to project national solidarity and state strength. The procession therefore represents both a public expression of grief and a sign of the continuity of the country’s leadership during a time of transition. Centre of Shia learning The city of Qom holds a unique place in Iran’s religious landscape. Home to the country’s most influential seminaries, it has educated generations of clerics and played a pivotal role in shaping the ideology of the Islamic republic. For Khamenei, whose authority partly came from his position within the Shia clerical establishment, a funeral procession in Qom would highlight the religious foundations of his leadership. It would also provide an opportunity for senior clerics and seminary students to participate in ceremonies honouring a figure who combined religious and political authority. The city also hosts one of the most significant shrines, the mausoleum of Fatima Masumeh, the sister of Imam Reza, the eighth imam. City of martyrdom Located in Iraq, Karbala is among the holiest cities. It is home to the shrine of Imam Hussein, whose death in the seventh century remains the central event in Shia history and tradition. A procession in Karbala places the funeral within the broader spiritual world. Themes such as sacrifice, perseverance and resistance — all closely linked to Imam Hussein’s legacy — would likely be central to the ceremonies held there. Seat of Shia authority Najaf, also in Iraq, is home to the shrine of Hazrat Ali and one of the most prestigious centres of Shia scholarship in the world. Many of the faith’s most senior clerics have studied, taught or lived there. Holding ceremonies in Najaf would emphasise Khamenei’s place within the wider Shia world beyond Iran’s borders. The city carries immense religious importance, and its inclusion highlights the ties between the Islamic republic and the broader international Shia community. Final resting place The final stage of the funeral takes place in Mashhad, Iran’s holiest city and the location of the Imam Reza Shrine, which attracts millions of pilgrims each year. Mashhad also holds personal significance for Khamenei. Born in the city, he spent much of his early life there and maintained close connections to its religious institutions. Burial near the shrine would therefore combine personal history with deep religious symbolism. As Iran’s most important pilgrimage destination, Mashhad would provide a setting that links the memory of the late leader to one of the most revered sites in Shia Islam. Symbolically, the journey would end where religious devotion, national identity and Khamenei’s own life story come together. Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2026

From the seat of power in Tehran to the Shia holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad, each stop holds symbolic importance.