Former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's Body Arrives in Iraq
Funeral preparations have been completed in Najaf and Karbala as senior Iraqi and Iranian officials meet to discuss bilateral ties and regional stability.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei arrived at Najaf International Airport on Tuesday, as Iraqi authorities completed logistical and technical preparations for official and public funeral ceremonies in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
According to the Higher Committee overseeing the funeral arrangements, all logistical and technical measures have been finalized to receive Khamenei's body and conduct the ceremonies across the two provinces.
The arrival comes as senior Iranian officials traveled to Iraq to attend the funeral ceremonies.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi welcomed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Najaf, where the Iranian leader arrived at the head of a high-level delegation to participate in the funeral and burial ceremonies for Khamenei.
According to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office, Zaidi expressed his deep condolences to the Iranian government and people over the death of the former Iranian leader.
During their meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and future cooperation, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening ties between Iraq and Iran across various sectors.
Zaidi also highlighted the significance of the region's current phase, stressing that ongoing developments require careful regional and international coordination aimed at reinforcing stability and ending conflicts.
The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said Pezeshkian thanked the Iraqi government and people for their solidarity following Khamenei's death and praised the extensive facilitation provided by Iraqi authorities for organizing the funeral ceremonies in Iraq's historic and religious cities.
The Iranian president also reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Iraq.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Pezeshkian extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Zaidi to visit Tehran as part of efforts to further expand strategic cooperation between the two countries in addressing regional challenges.