Thousands of mourners gathered Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in the streets of Najaf—the revered Shiite holy city in southern Iraq—where the funeral procession for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, passed before his burial in Iran the following day, Thursday, July 7.
A Regional Ceremony Amid Rising Conflict
The ceremonies in Iraq form part of a broader state-organized funeral initiated by Iran on Saturday to honor Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28—the first day of the war against the Islamic Republic. Overnight, hostilities between Washington and Tehran resumed.
Following Iranian missile strikes on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. announced it had struck more than 80 targets inside Iran. In retaliation, Tehran claimed attacks on American bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Najaf Prepares for Mourning
Khamenei’s body was flown to Najaf late Tuesday night and received at the city’s international airport in an official ceremony attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
Iraqi authorities—maintaining close political and religious ties with Tehran—declared Wednesday a national holiday and deployed significant security forces across Najaf. Streets were lined with banners and large portraits of Khamenei alongside Iraqi flags.
Mourners filled the route where the procession began, expected to stretch six kilometers to the imposing Imam Ali Shrine—the burial site of Imam Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, fourth caliph of Islam, and first Imam of the Shia tradition. Dozens of worshippers prepared to pray over Khamenei’s casket as it passed.
Devotees approached the coffin, placed on the back of a truck, to touch it—a gesture of reverence common in Shiite mourning rituals.
Next Stop: Karbala
Later in the day, the body is scheduled to be flown north to Karbala, home to the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas. One of Khamenei’s sons, Mostafa, is attending the Iraqi ceremonies. His other son, Mojtaba—who succeeded him as Iran’s Supreme Leader in March—has not appeared publicly since the funeral rites began.
Banners in Karbala bore slogans such as “Our final farewell to you” and “The one who humbled America.” A photo of Khamenei accompanied the latter phrase, underscoring his symbolic role in regional anti-U.S. narratives.
Photos released by the Abbas Holy Shrine Media Office show Khamenei’s casket—and those of family members—on display in Karbala.
“This is an opportunity we cannot miss—to take part in the mourning ceremonies of the man who defied American power,” said one attendee.