After huge Najaf funeral, millions more pay tribute to Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei in Karbala
Millions of mourners flooded the streets of the holy city of Karbala on Wednesday as the body of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, arrived for its final funeral procession in Iraq.
Early estimates from the Hashd al-Shaabi put the number of mourners in Karbala at over four million, with crowds spilling into the streets long before the formal ceremony began.
The procession in Karbala followed a historic farewell ceremony in Najaf, where an estimated 3.8 million mourners packed the streets and courtyards of the shrine of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the first Shia Imam.
The body of the late Leader, who was martyred on February 28 in a US-Israeli airstrike, was then transported to Karbala, where it will be carried to the shrines of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and his brother Hazrat Abbas (peace be upon him) for commemorative ceremonies.
In Najaf, the scale of the turnout was described as unprecedented, as many mourners had traveled overnight from across Iraq and beyond.
The body of the late Leader, accompanied by the remains of his family members who were assassinated alongside him, was transported from Najaf to Karbala on Wednesday afternoon via the famous Arbaeen road.
Watch as thousands of mourners chant anti-American slogans at the funeral procession of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution at the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf, Iraq.
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Iraqi authorities had declared a public holiday to allow for the massive turnout.
The martyrdom of Imam Hussein in the seventh century remains central to Shia identity and draws millions of pilgrims to Karbala and Najaf every year.
The presence of the martyred Leader's body in these holy cities has added a powerful historical resonance to the ceremonies.
Iraqi officials and resistance leaders described the massive turnout as a message of unity and defiance against US-Israeli aggression.
Images from the funeral procession of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, at the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf, Iraq.
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The bond between Iraq and Iran, both Shia-majority countries, runs deep and is shaped by both religion and politics.
While relations were hostile during Saddam Hussein's rule, the two countries have become close allies since 2003.
The final funeral ceremony for the martyred Leader will take place on Thursday in Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, where he will be laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), the eighth Shia Imam.
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