Farewell to Khamenei's body held in Karbala, coffin sent back to Iran

A farewell ceremony for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an American-Israeli bombing, was held in the Iraqi city of Karbala, sacred to Shiite Muslims.

This is reported by the INA agency.

The coffin with Khamenei's body was carried around the mausoleum of Abul-Fadl al-Abbas, after which it was delivered to Najaf Airport for shipment to Iran. Preparations for the final funeral ceremony are being completed in the city of Mashhad.

According to eyewitnesses, millions of people took part in the funeral procession. To ensure the unimpeded movement of pilgrims, the authorities temporarily dismantled the entrance gates of the two main shrines of Karbala — the mosques of Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas. Representatives of various Iraqi provinces, as well as delegations from Arab countries, regional and international organizations who were unable to take part in the ceremonies previously held in Iran, arrived to bid farewell to Khamenei.

The farewell to Khamenei, who was killed on February 28, began on July 3 in Tehran. For several days, his body was in the Mosalla complex, where anyone could say goodbye to him. On July 6, a funeral procession of many thousands took place in the Iranian capital, after which the remains were transported to Qom, the country's main religious center. On the evening of July 7, the coffin with the body was delivered to Iraq, where farewell ceremonies were held in Najaf and Karbala.

The burial of Ali Khamenei will take place on July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad.