The coffin of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Najaf, Iraq, amid a gathering of leaders and citizens receiving the body. Preparations are underway for a major funeral ceremony before the coffin is transported to Karbala, while authorities have intensified security measures.
On 8 July 2026, foreign news agencies reported that the coffin of the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arrived at Najaf International Airport in Najaf, Iraq, where Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Saidi came to receive the coffin.
The reception ceremony also included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with numerous senior officials and hundreds of citizens paying their respects.
The schedule states that a large funeral ceremony will take place on Wednesday morning in Najaf before the coffin is transferred to Karbala, which, like Najaf, is a significant holy city for Shia Muslims and a pilgrimage destination for people from Iraq and many other countries.
Prior to the ceremony, Iraqi authorities increased security measures by deploying a large number of personnel along main roads throughout the city, closing the old town area and access routes to the Imam Ali Shrine to facilitate and ensure safety throughout the mourning ceremony.