Iraq Prepares for Funeral Procession of Martyred Leader in Najaf, Karbala

IQNA – With the start of extensive coordination between Iraqi and Iranian institutions, Iraq is preparing to hold the funeral procession of martyred Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

The ceremonies in the two holy cities are expected to be attended by more than one million people.

Iraq is currently witnessing extensive preparations for holding the historic funeral of martyred Imam, according to Al-Ahed News.

The ceremonies are scheduled to be held on July 8 with coordination between various Iraqi institutions and Iranian parties, including the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Baghdad.

Sources close to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad have announced that the holy body of the martyred Imam will enter Iraq on July 8 through Najaf International Airport. An official welcoming ceremony will be held at Najaf Airport with a group of Iraqi officials and religious, social and political figures in attendance.

After that, the holy body will be transferred to the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) for a farewell ceremony. Then the funeral convoy will head to Karbala, where a public funeral will be held in Bain-ul-Haramain with the participation of a large number of citizens. Finally, the body will be transferred again to Najaf Airport and from there to the holy city of Mashhad.

According to this report, the management of the holy shrines of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf and Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) in Karbala, the governorates of Najaf and Karbala, the Iraqi ministries of transportation, interior and foreign affairs, the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), and the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office are among the institutions responsible for coordinating and holding the ceremonies.

Nearly a million Iraqi citizens from various provinces of the country are expected to attend the funeral. Prominent religious, political, tribal, cultural and academic figures of the country will be present at this historic event.

In addition to the ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi pilgrims are expected to travel to Iran to attend the funerals which will be held from July 4 to 9 in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad.

In this regard, the responsible institutions in Iran and Iraq have already begun the necessary coordination to facilitate the movement of pilgrims through land crossings and airports.

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