Iran Uses Khamenei Funeral in Najaf and Karbala to Project Regional Loyalty

Iran’s allies and officials sought to turn Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies in Iraq into a regional show of loyalty, with processions in Najaf and Karbala presented as evidence that his authority reached beyond Iran.

“BAGHDAD — Iraq's committee overseeing the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Thursday that more than 10 million mourners took part in ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala, adding that the two-day event concluded without any reported security breaches or major incidents”

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After funeral processions in Tehran and Qom, the coffins of Khamenei and several members of his family, who were killed in the February 28 US-Israeli attack, were taken on Tuesday to Najaf and transferred on Wednesday to Karbala.

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Political analyst Iman Aghayari told Iran International that Tehran wanted to present Khamenei’s influence as extending beyond Iran’s borders, saying it was “not confined to those proxy forces, but is rooted among the people of those countries as well.”

Supporters portrayed the ceremonies as proof of regional solidarity behind the so-called Axis of Resistance, and Esmail Qaani said the funeral procession in Iraq would “make the red line of vengeance more prominent” and “further strengthen the united resolve of the Iraqi and Iranian peoples against American conspiracies.”

In Iraq, authorities declared Wednesday a public holiday as funeral processions began at 6am local time in Najaf, and the AP reported that at some moments “the scene turned chaotic, with mourners swarming the coffin.”

The AP said the ceremonies began on Saturday, with authorities shutting down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran, and it described Khamenei’s body arriving in Najaf on Tuesday before being taken to Karbala.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that “No one knows the exact number of mourners here in Najaf, but it’s pretty clear that we’re looking at hundreds of thousands,” and it quoted Iraqi Mohammed al-Bayati saying it was “an opportunity not to be missed to participate in the funeral of the person who challenged the power of America and Israel.”

The Washington Post described a senior Iranian diplomat’s account of the funeral’s messaging, quoting: “One of the main missions of the funeral is to show Iranian influence in Iraq for the global audience.”

The funeral schedule extended across Iran and Iraq, with CNN Arabic saying Iranian authorities planned ceremonies from July 4 to July 9 in both countries, including Najaf and Karbala in Iraq and Mashhad in Iran.

“Funeral processions held in holy Iraqi cities for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Funeral processions held in holy Iraqi cities for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Thousands of mourners attended funeral processions for Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday in the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala as part of dayslong funeral ceremonies for the Islamic Republic’s late supreme leader”

AP News

CNN Arabic reported that Khamenei’s burial would take place on Thursday at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace, after his body was flown to Karbala for another procession.

The BBC said the coffin, carried on a truck and wrapped in the Iranian flag, circled Najaf amid enormous crowds as mourners attempted to approach and touch it, and it added that the funeral rites lasted about a week.

In the background of the ceremonies, the AP said talks on ending the war between the United States and Iran appeared to be on hold until after the burial, while it reported that the U.S. military attacked Iran early Wednesday after it said Tehran struck three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran then launched retaliatory strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain.