Massive Iraq funeral was a call for vengeance for martyred Leader: Qalibaf

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says the massive funeral procession in Iraq for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was not merely an act of mourning but a declaration of support for his legacy and a call to avenge his death.

In a message addressed to the Iraqi people on Thursday, Qalibaf said the “immense presence of the Iraqi people at the memorable and unparalleled funeral procession” held on Wednesday for the martyred Leader reflected their enduring support for Ayatollah Khamenei’s legacy.

Qalibaf stressed that the historic funeral procession in Iraq “was not merely a farewell ceremony or an occasion for mourning. Rather, it was a declaration endorsing the words and deeds of this steadfast fighter and calling for vengeance for that beloved figure, signed by millions of grieving mourners.”

Ayatollah Khamenei “devoted his noble life to the unity and dignity of Muslims and the glory of the Islamic Ummah, and spared no effort in defending justice and truth, liberating the oppressed of the world from the domination of hegemony led by bloodthirsty America, and preventing the spread of the cancer of international Zionism.” 

Iran's parliament speaker added that the declaration sent a clear message to continue Ayatollah Khamenei's path, affirm the invincibility of the “Axis of Resistance,” and highlight the unity of freedom-seekers around the world, including Muslims and Christians, Shias and Sunnis, Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmens.

Qalibaf said the Iraqi people's “unparalleled” respect for Ayatollah Khamenei's religious and political authority demonstrated the dignity of Islam and Muslims and “became a thorn in the eyes of the enemies of freedom and Islam,” adding that it showed “the will of nations cannot be weakened through terror and threats.”

The parliament speaker expressed gratitude to all segments of Iraqi society, as well as Shia clerics, the police, and security institutions, for their role in making the extraordinary funeral procession possible.

Millions attend funeral for Martyr Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Iraq's Najaf and Karbala

Millions have gathered in Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala for funeral ceremonies honoring martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, with Iraqi groups and media reporting turnout in the millions.

In a separate development on Thursday, Ali Akbar Velayati, who also serves as secretary-general of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening, thanked the Iraqi government and people in a statement, describing the millions who attended the funeral of the “martyred Imam of the Resistance” as “a storm of dignity and awakening” and asserting that the era of US dominance in the region had come to an end.

“This magnificent public display was a clear symbol of the unity of the Islamic Ummah and the solidarity of Muslim hearts. Believers from every corner of heroic Iraq, both Shia and Sunni, attended the ceremony out of love. Indeed, the blood of this esteemed martyr, shed in defense of Islam and justice, became a source of unity and cohesion for the Islamic Ummah,” he stressed.

Velayati, who was a senior advisor to the martyred Leader for years, also emphasized that “from Karbala to Najaf, Iraq stood united in bidding farewell to the martyred Imam of the Resistance,” adding that mourners at the unprecedented funeral “voiced the message of independence, dignity, and steadfastness of the Islamic Ummah.”

The secretary general stressed that “without a doubt, this historic funeral carried a clear message for the region and the world: the era of America's dominance in the region has come to an end.”

“This region has no place for the pharaohs of the present age; and the blood of the martyrs has redrawn a new geography of dignity and resistance,” Velayati said.

Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated, alongside some of his family members, on February 28, the first day of the 40-day illegal war of aggression waged by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.

The multi-day funeral began on Friday, when the Leader's body lay in state at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla, allowing mourners, foreign dignitaries, and religious figures to pay their respects. The ceremonies continued on Saturday and Sunday with a public farewell and funeral prayers.

On Monday, millions of Iranians lined the streets of Tehran as the funeral procession made its way through the capital, before the ceremonies moved to the holy city of Qom on Tuesday.

Iranians from across the country have since traveled to Mashhad for the final stage of the funeral, where they will bid farewell to the martyred Leader on Thursday.

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