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Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - NAJAF — Massive crowds packed the streets of Najaf on Wednesday as the coffin of Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was carried through the holy city in a solemn procession, marking Iraq's tribute to the late leader in the heartland of Shia Islam.
Iraqi authorities declared Wednesday a public holiday, with procession ceremonies starting at 6am local time (03:00 GMT) in Najaf.
The procession in Najaf unfolded as tensi.ons between the United States and Iran escalated again in the Strait of Hormuz, further complicating efforts to secure a ceasefire and end the conflict in the Middle East
Khamenei’s body arrived late Tuesday in Najaf, where it was received by senior officials from both countries. Processions are planned for Wednesday in Najaf and Karbala. Iraq has a sizable Shiite population and is home to major Shiite religious sites and centers of learning.
After a massive procession in Iran’s holy city of Qom, Iraqi officials and senior politicians received Khamenei’s remains on Tuesday night at Najaf international airport in the presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the late leader’s eldest son, Mostafa Hosseini Khamenei.
Khamenei’s coffin made its way through the streets of Najaf to the shrine of Imam Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law and the first Shia imam.
Najaf is used to seeing huge numbers of pilgrims for religious events.
After Najaf, Khamenei’s body will be flown to Karbala, about 60km (37 miles) north, for another procession that will culminate at the shrines of Imam Hussein, the third Shia imam, and his brother Abbas.
Esmail Qaani, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, hailed the “spiritual bond” between the two Shia-majority countries.
“The extensive planning for this historical event by the Iraqi government and people shows the depth of the spiritual bond between the two great nations of Iraq and Iran to the whole world,” said Qaani.
Iraqi Mohammed al-Bayati, who travelled for hours to Najaf, said it was “an opportunity not to be missed to participate in the funeral of the person who challenged the power of America and Israel”.
Iran began six days of public funeral ceremonies for Khamenei on Saturday.
It hopes the marathon ceremonies will project strength and unity amid the US-Israel war on Iran, which began with strikes by the two countries on Tehran that killed Khamenei and several of his relatives on February 28.
Authorities flew Khamenei’s body to the Shiite seminary city of Qom, where mourners honored him Tuesday.
Iranian state television aired live images of hundreds of thousands of people walking toward Jamkaran Mosque, just south of Qom, for the funeral service.
Khamenei’s son, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to make an appearance at the ceremonies. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.
Khamenei, who was 86, will be returned to Iran to be buried Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.
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