Iraqi officials expect the funeral processions for Ayatollah Khamenei, who was martyred on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli unprovoked war of aggression against Iran, to draw one of the largest public gatherings in Iraq in recent years, Tehran Times reported.
Nassif Jassim al-Khattabi, governor of Karbala and chairman of the province's higher security committee, described the funeral as a major event, saying, “This event will certainly be significant and will have considerable dimensions and implications.”
He predicted that Karbala would receive an exceptionally large number of mourners, saying many people from across the Arab country were eager to travel to the holy city to attend the funeral.
“The funeral will be held in three stages: an official state ceremony on Tuesday evening, followed by another funeral procession on Wednesday morning in Najaf, and a funeral ceremony at 4:00 p.m. local time in Karbala,” al-Khattabi noted.
The governor also said that Wednesday would be declared a local public holiday in Karbala to facilitate the full conduct of the grand funeral for the martyred Leader and to enable residents to host visitors, provide services and participate in the ceremonies.
Meanwhile, an informed Iraqi official told the media that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi would receive the body of the martyred leader at Najaf International Airport on Tuesday.
The official said the reception ceremony for the “Leader of the Ummah” would be attended by Iraqi officials at the airport.
Earlier, Iraq's committee overseeing the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei announced that all preparations, logistical arrangements and coordination for the official reception of the “Martyred Leader" in Najaf and the public funeral procession in Karbala had been completed.
“The official reception ceremony for the Leader of the Islamic Ummah will be held on Tuesday at Najaf International Airport by Iraqi officials in the presence of a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Major General Saad Maan, the spokesman for the committee.
“The public funeral procession in Karbala will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday,” he further said.
MNA