Body of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei transferred to Iraq's Najaf

Stages of the funeral ceremony

The Popular Mobilization Units (PMF), an umbrella organization of Shia militias in Iraq, stated that more than two million people attended the funeral procession in Najaf. Independent estimates for this figure were not available at the time of the transfer. The processions began on schedule at 6:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. CEST) in the Holy City.

Najaf is home to the tomb of Imam Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, one of the most important pilgrimage destinations for Shia believers worldwide. Preparatory ceremonies also took place the previous evening in the nearby city of Karbala, where the mausoleum of Imam Hussein is located. A photographer for the AP news agency documented preparatory mourning rituals in front of the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala on the evening of July 7.

The funeral processions are considered one of the largest religious gatherings in Iraq's recent history and are under strict security measures. According to its own statements, the Iraqi government has secured the access routes to the holy sites and partially restricted airspace in the south of the country for the day of the processions.

Significance of the Shia pilgrimage sites

The transfer of Khamenei to Najaf underscores the close religious and political ties between Shia-majority Iran and Iraq. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, Iran and Iraq have continuously expanded relations between their Shia populations.

Observers also interpret the mass procession as a signal to the regional public regarding the question of succession in Iran. Khamenei's death on June 28 had triggered a nationwide mourning period in Iran; official statements on the succession have not yet been made.

The ceremony will continue on July 8 with further processions in Karbala and Kerbala. According to the organizers' plans, the body is then to be transferred to Iran, where the state funeral service is to take place in the capital, Tehran.

Open questions on the succession

At the same time, the exact circumstances of his death and the future distribution of power in the Islamic Republic remain unclear. International media outlets, including the BBC and Reuters, report consistently that official Iranian authorities have not published any further details on the cause of death or succession arrangements.

The Shia pilgrimage sites of Najaf and Karbala attract millions of believers annually. According to local authorities, the current funeral processions fall during a period of heightened security measures, which are also attributable to tensions in the Middle East that are known beyond the region.

With the chants against Washington and Jerusalem, some of the mourners are picking up on the foreign policy rhetoric that Khamenei had maintained during his tenure. Human rights groups had repeatedly accused him of authoritarian practices and the suppression of political opponents in Iran.

Security situation and restrictions

For the coming days, security authorities expect continued large crowds in the Holy Cities. Access to the shrines will be temporarily restricted, according to the Najaf city administration, in order to keep the routes clear for the processions.

The Iraqi government has officially ordered a period of national mourning, with public services largely closed on the day of the processions. Local schools and universities have suspended classes.