Millions of people are expected to attend funeral ceremonies in Iraq for martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, a spokesman for the Iraqi media committee organizing the event has said.
The funeral will be held in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, with no ceremonies planned in Baghdad due to time constraints, said Saad Maan, spokesman for the committee, on Thursday.
“Preliminary estimates indicate that millions will participate in the funeral procession of the martyr Ayatollah Khamenei in Iraq,” Maan told a news conference.
He said all necessary facilities and resources have been prepared to ensure orderly coverage of the event, and called on citizens to cooperate with security and service agencies to ensure its success.
Maan added that meetings with all parties involved in the funeral arrangements are ongoing, and that all relevant authorities are in full readiness.
“We are in the process of finalizing the final details of a flexible plan to organize the funeral ceremonies,” he said, adding that another news conference will be held on Sunday or Monday to provide further details.
He explained that holding funeral ceremonies in Baghdad is not feasible due to the short timeframe, with Iraq having only 24 hours to prepare. As a result, events will be confined to Najaf and Karbala.
An estimated 10 million mourners attended Iran’s first Supreme Leader’s funeral in 1989, making it one of the world’s largest gatherings.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 2, 2026
As Iran prepares for the funeral of Khamenei, it’s expecting even bigger numbers. pic.twitter.com/xmds3XFJsY
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has also announced preparedness to provide services during the funeral ceremonies in both Iran and Iraq.
Source: Agencies