TEHRAN – Iraq is preparing for one of the largest public gatherings in its recent history, as millions prepare to bid farewell to the martyred Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Imam Ali Khamenei.

The arrival of his blessed coffin is widely expected to bring the nation together in a show of loyalty, grief, and defiance.

Millions expected to attend

Lieutenant General Saad Maan, spokesman for the Higher Committee overseeing the funeral of the martyred Imam in Iraq, has said that early estimates suggest millions of mourners will take part. 

Speaking at a press conference, Maan stated that a full and flexible plan is ready to handle the huge crowds, with all security, service, and health teams on high alert. “We are putting the final touches on a flexible plan to organize the funeral ceremonies of the martyred Leader,” Maan told reporters. 

He confirmed that no funeral procession will be held in the capital, Baghdad, due to time constraints. Instead, the ceremonies will be limited to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala within a 24-hour timeframe.

Streets covered with symbols

Across the capital and southern provinces, the streets are covered with countless images of martyr Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei, his respected face looking down from banners, posters, and murals on buildings, bridges, and public squares. 

The holy cities of Najaf and Karbala have been especially decorated with welcoming banners honoring the martyred Imam, with main roads dressed up to create a feeling of respect and mourning. 

In the busy markets, shopkeepers have hung black cloth and portraits next to the green flags of the holy shrines. Black banners can be seen across streets in many areas, and red flags, which have historically represented calls for revenge in Iraq, are now seen across the cities, adding a powerful and somber layer to the mourning. 

Groups have been allocated to serve the mourners with water amid the immense heat, while volunteers have been deployed to direct traffic and assist the crowds. The air is set to be filled with the rhythmic chanting of sorrow and the cries of men and women.

Security and logistics

For a week, Iraqi security forces, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (also known as the PMF or Hashd al-Shaabi), have been carefully working on the logistics. Social media videos show the PMF’s Chief of Staff, Abu Fadak al-Mohammadawi, deeply involved in the planning. 

The government has arranged public transport, with orders to send buses to carry mourners. Maan stressed that a comprehensive security plan has been put in place, involving various ministries and security agencies. He called on mourners to fully comply with organizational and security instructions. 

While there will be no general limits on public movement, temporary traffic changes will be strictly enforced along the procession routes. The move to bring the blessed body to Iraq, rather than have some two million Iraqis cross the border into neighboring Iran, was a joint decision between Tehran and Baghdad to avoid incidents with overcrowding. Iraqi authorities have also expressed their honor at receiving the blessed body in Iraq.

Tribal and community mobilization

More than 100 major Iraqi tribes and more than 300 smaller tribes have called upon their members to attend. Tribal leaders, including the leadership of the Al Shar’a Sadat and Sheikh Zughair Saadoun Al Waheed of the Al Humaid tribe, have urged their followers to attend in large numbers, describing participation as a symbol of loyalty, steadfastness, and unity. 

Tribal chiefs, clerics, and citizens from Basra, Iraq’s second largest city, have announced their readiness to participate, affirming that their attendance comes in appreciation of the late Leader’s supportive stances toward Iraq. 

A unified convoy will set off on Tuesday morning from Basra toward Najaf. Sheikh Ali Al-Tamimi, a leader of the Basra tribes, said that participation represents a stance of loyalty to the martyred Imam. The Faily Kurds National Congress has also urged all Faily Kurds and the Iraqi public to join.

Official preparations

Several Iraqi provinces have announced the suspension of official work on Wednesday to allow citizens to participate in the funeral ceremonies. A statement from the office of the Governor of Baghdad said: “It has been decided to suspend official work at the Baghdad Governorate office and all its affiliated departments on Wednesday, corresponding to July 8, on the occasion of the martyr his eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Khamenei’s funeral.” 

The Dhi Qar Provincial Council also announced the suspension of official work on Wednesday, while health institutions will continue operating. 
The Basra Governorate announced the suspension of official work on both Wednesday and Thursday. Similarly, the holy provinces of Najaf and Karbala, as well as Wasit Governorate, announced the suspension of official work on Wednesday.

Funeral route and schedule

According to Iran’s cultural attaché in Iraq, the blessed body will arrive at Najaf International Airport on the evening of Tuesday, July 7.  Following an official reception attended by high-ranking officials from Iran and Iraq, the funeral procession will begin on Wednesday morning. 

At 6:00 a.m., the blessed body will start its journey from the Kufa bridge towards the Thawrat al-Ishreen bridge, passing through Al-Sadrain Square. At 4:00 p.m., a second ceremony will be held in Karbala, starting from Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis Street and ending in the sacred area of Bayn al-Haramayn, between the holy shrines of Imam Hussein and Hazrat Abbas. The program will also include the ceremonial circumambulation of the blessed body within the shrines of Imam Ali, Imam Hussein, and Hazrat Abbas.

Political and religious statements

Martyr Imam Khamenei is deeply respected among Iraqi society. As Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s armed forces, many will never forget the role that Iranian military advisors played to liberate Iraqi land from Daesh’s occupation of terror. 

The Secretary General of Iraq’s Al Nujaba Islamic Resistance Movement issued a statement saying that taking part in the funeral procession is just as important as fighting on the battlefield. 

He underlined that the huge turnout would be a powerful answer to the conspiracies and crimes of the United States and the Zionist regime. “Taking part in the funeral procession of the pure body of the martyred Leader is no less than fighting these vile Zionists on the battlefields of jihad,” the statement said. “Your millions-strong presence will be a thorn in the eye of the oppressive enemy.” 

Iran’s cultural attaché in Iraq has stated that the ceremonies will represent a message of unity between the two nations and a rejection of the “crimes of America and the Zionist entity.”

A historic farewell

The ceremonial circling of the blessed body inside the sacred shrines will be a deeply emotional moment for the millions attending. 

Iraq stands ready for the historic day that will be remembered for generations, a sign of the deep religious ties and political bonds that connect the nation to its neighbor, Iran. The world will be watching as Iraq prepares to say goodbye to a leader whose image now looks out from most street corners.

The farewell ceremonies In Iraq are widely expected to be filled with grief and unity for both a commander and an extremely respected religious figure for Muslims, before the blessed body is set to return to Iran for burial in the holy city of Mashhad.