Iranian authorities plan to hold funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from July 4 to July 9 across Iran and Iraq, months after his death.
The delay has raised questions about the condition of his son and successor and criticism from detractors who say the state is trying to inflate attendance.
Officials have laid out a multi-day schedule spanning Tehran, Qom and Mashhad in Iran and Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, turning the funeral into a national and regional event long after Khamenei was killed on February 28, the first day of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Iraq has confirmed that funeral processions for Khamenei will be held in Najaf and Karbala, two Shiite holy cities south of Baghdad. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units have invited local and foreign media to register for accreditation to cover the events.
