Millions gather as Khamenei funeral continues in Iraq

Millions of mourners flooded the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday for funeral processions honoring Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in one of the largest gatherings in the modern history of either city. Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces reported more than 2.3 million participants in Najaf alone, while authorities in Karbala registered 7 million mourners, according to Iran's Press TV citing Iraq's Karbala governorate.presstv

The processions unfolded against the backdrop of renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities, with President Donald Trump declaring the ceasefire "over" and warning of further strikes on Iranian targets.fortune

A Nation Farewells Its Leader

The official funeral procession in Najaf began at 6 a.m. local time Wednesday, moving from the Shrine of Imam Ali through Kufa Bridge and the Thawrat al-Ashreen intersection toward al-Sadreen Square before the coffin continued to Karbala. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi declared an official public holiday across Iraq for the occasion.presstv

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the ceremonies in Najaf alongside senior Iraqi officials, but was forced to cut his visit short after the United States renewed strikes on Iran. The renewed hostilities came after Trump said on Wednesday that the interim agreement to pause fighting was "over" following an exchange of fire between U.S. and Iranian forces.thehill+2

Khamenei was killed on February 28 in coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran that also killed more than a dozen senior military officials. His son Mojtaba was subsequently named as his successor, though he has remained absent from all public proceedings. According to Iranian media reports, no audio or video of Mojtaba has been released publicly, with officials citing security precautions against foreign intelligence agencies.youtube+2

Six Days of Mourning Near an End

The six-day funeral began Saturday in Tehran, where huge crowds viewed Khamenei's casket at the Grand Mosalla mosque. The procession then moved through Qom on Tuesday before crossing into Iraq. The remains of Iran's late supreme leader were transported through Iraq's holiest Shia shrines in Najaf and Karbala as part of a fifth day of ceremonies.bbc+3

The final funeral rites are set to take place on Thursday in Mashhad, Khamenei's birthplace, where he will be buried at the Shrine of Imam Reza in accordance with his will.presstv+1