Iraq Declares Three Days of Mourning for Khamenei as Protests Target Green Zone
Explosions Reported Near Erbil Airport Amid Threats from Iran-Backed Armed Groups
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraq on Sunday declared a three-day period of national mourning following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as protests erupted in Baghdad and security tensions escalated across the country.
Government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement that Baghdad was extending condolences to Tehran and the wider Muslim world.
“With deep sorrow, we extend our condolences to the noble people of Iran and the entire Muslim world,” following Khamenei’s killing in what he described as “a blatant act of aggression and a reprehensible act that violates all humanitarian and moral norms, and constitutes a clear breach of international laws and conventions,” Awadi said, confirming that the federal government had declared three days of mourning.
In an expanded official statement, Baghdad praised his decades-long leadership of the Iranian people and his defense of what it called the causes of the Islamic nation, stating that his death “crowned a lifetime of service with the honor of martyrdom and loyalty to principles.”
Iraq renewed its call for an immediate and unconditional halt to military operations that "risk dragging the region into unprecedented levels of violence and undermining international peace and security."
The announcement came hours after hundreds of demonstrators attempted to storm Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday, which houses key government buildings and the U.S. embassy. An AFP journalist reported that protesters, some carrying flags of pro-Iran armed factions, threw stones at security forces.
A security source said that attempts to breach the perimeter had been thwarted, though demonstrators continued their efforts to push through checkpoints. Iraqi security forces responded with tear gas to disperse crowds.
Local media also reported protests in several southern provinces, reflecting mounting anger among supporters of Iran-aligned factions.
Several Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups warned Saturday that they would not remain “neutral” in the escalating regional confrontation and pledged to defend the Islamic Republic.
The powerful faction Kataeb Hezbollah announced it would target U.S. bases in Iraq after two of its fighters were reportedly killed in air strikes in the country’s south.
In the early hours of Sunday, loud explosions were heard near Erbil International Airport, which hosts U.S.-led coalition forces in the Kurdistan Region. An AFP journalist reported thick black smoke rising from the vicinity of the airport.
Shortly afterward, a small pro-Iran armed group claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting U.S. troops stationed in Erbil.
On Saturday, local authorities said U.S.-led coalition forces intercepted several missiles and explosive-laden drones over Erbil.
The developments underscore Iraq’s precarious position as regional tensions intensify following Khamenei’s death, with Baghdad navigating mounting domestic pressures, security volatility, and complex diplomatic calculations.
At the same time, the federal government’s swift declaration of mourning and its official condemnation of what it termed a “blatant act of aggression” signal that Iraq continues to align itself politically and symbolically with Tehran.
Despite the leadership transition in Iran, Baghdad appears intent on preserving its close strategic, economic, and security ties with its eastern neighbor, reaffirming a relationship that has remained a central pillar of Iraq’s regional posture for years.