Hawzah News Agency- The Iraq stage of the funeral program forms part of a broader itinerary encompassing the most significant religious cities in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq—an event viewed as an exceptional religious, political, and historic moment that underscores the exalted status the martyred Imam holds among Shia Muslims and reaffirms the spiritual bond uniting Islam's sacred centers.
According to the announced schedule, religious ceremonies were held on Tuesday in the holy city of Qom, Iran, before the processions move to Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday, culminating in the final farewell on Thursday in the holy city of Mashhad, the birthplace of Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei. These four cities rank among the most prominent religious and spiritual centers for Shia Muslims worldwide, lending the funeral a profound doctrinal dimension that transcends geographic borders.
Official Holidays Declared Across Iraqi Provinces
As part of the sweeping preparations, several Iraqi provinces have declared Wednesday an official holiday, while some have extended the closure through Thursday to allow citizens the opportunity to participate in the funeral rites and travel to the holy cities. Massive crowds of mourners from across Iraq are expected to converge on Najaf and Karbala, joined by Arab, Islamic, and international delegations.
These decisions have coincided with an intensification of security and service preparations. Iraqi authorities and the Hashd al-Shabi have ramped up coordination meetings to finalize plans for managing the funeral processions. These plans encompass the division of responsibilities among security and service agencies, the establishment of coordination mechanisms between various bodies, the formulation of special protocols for protecting mourning processions, the organization of pilgrim movement, and the securing of routes leading to Najaf and Karbala.
Iraqi officials have stressed that the drafted plans include integrated security and logistical measures: the deployment of security forces along funeral routes, the allocation of medical and emergency units, and the equipping of rest stations and service centers to ensure the smooth movement and well-being of participants throughout the ceremonies.
Najaf Governor: Full Readiness Achieved
Najaf Governor Yusuf Makki Kanawi announced that all security, service, and logistical preparations to receive the funeral of Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei have been completed, stressing that the province has finalized all necessary plans for the success of this monumental event.
Kanawi explained that the province will host two separate programs for the funeral. The first is the official ceremony, held on Tuesday at Najaf International Airport, attended by the heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, alongside leaders of political factions, the Coordination Framework, members of parliament, and official and religious dignitaries—a ceremony reflecting the formal nature of Iraq's participation in bidding farewell to the martyred Leader.
The second program, he added, will be the popular procession. The public funeral caravan will commence on Wednesday at 6:00 AM from the Al-Sadr Hospital Bridge on Airport Road, making its way through the old city to the Holy Shrine of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him). Extensive organizational measures are underway to accommodate the anticipated crowds.
The Najaf governor noted that the province has, in recent days, hosted a high-level delegation comprising representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, the Joint Operations Command, the Hashd al-Shabi, and the Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad. The delegation discussed various details related to organizing the ceremonies, including security, service, media, and logistical dimensions.
"Najaf is in a state of complete readiness for this historic event," Kanawi affirmed. "All government institutions in the province are operating within a joint operations room to guarantee the success of the ceremonies and to provide the best possible services to pilgrims."
Massive Popular Mobilization: Over 60 Mourning Processions Registered
Haidar Kabboun, Director of the Department of Religious Rituals and Million-Strong Pilgrimages in the Najaf Governorate, revealed that Husseini procession organizers have been preparing their sites and erecting service stations since early on to welcome mourners from various Iraqi provinces as well as from abroad.
Kabboun stated that the specialized committee has held its third meeting to review all plans related to the funeral, focusing on providing essential services to participants—including drinking water, food, first aid, and guidance—as well as organizing the movement of processions and pedestrians along the funeral route.
"To date, more than 60 Husseini processions have officially registered, and this number is expected to exceed 100 in the coming hours," he said. These processions will be stationed along the funeral route to provide a comprehensive range of services to pilgrims, reflecting the immense scale of popular mobilization to take part in the farewell ceremonies.
Kabboun emphasized that organizing committees have devised special plans to handle the anticipated surge in pilgrim numbers, through the strategic distribution of processions across various axes and the deployment of dedicated guidance and organization teams to ensure the smooth flow of mourners while preventing congestion and bottlenecks.
The scenes unfolding across Iraq stand as a powerful testament to the deep, unbreakable bond between the Iraqi people and the martyred Imam—a bond forged in shared sacrifice, sealed in blood, and rooted in unwavering loyalty to the path of the Ahl al-Bayt. As millions prepare to descend upon the holy cities, Iraq sends an unmistakable message to the world: the legacy of Imam Khamenei lives on in the hearts of the faithful, and his path of resistance, dignity, and liberation will never be abandoned.
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