Mashhad hosts final funeral and burial ceremony for martyred leader
The body of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reached Mashhad at midday on Thursday after a series of funeral and farewell ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq, marking the final phase of national and international commemorations for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Large numbers of mourners from different parts of Iran traveled to the northeastern holy city to take part in the concluding funeral procession and burial ceremony at the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims.
The funeral procession was scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. local time from Imam Reza Street after organizers postponed the original morning timetable because of delays caused by the massive turnout and extended farewell ceremonies held in Iraq.
Among the international figures attending the ceremony is Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of Nigeria's Shia Muslim community.
The Mashhad ceremony follows large funeral processions in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, where millions of mourners paid their respects before the body was transferred to Iran. Iraqi officials said nearly four million people participated in the farewell ceremonies, which were attended by prominent religious and political figures.
The funeral rites began on July 3 with official tribute ceremonies attended by political delegations from more than 45 countries, as well as religious scholars and dignitaries representing over 90 nations.
Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla hosted public farewell ceremonies on July 4 and 5, followed by a mass funeral procession in the Iranian capital on July 6 that drew millions of participants.
The commemorations continued in the holy city of Qom on July 7 with funeral and farewell ceremonies at Jamkaran Mosque before concluding with unprecedented public processions in Najaf and Karbala on July 8.
The body of the martyred Leader and his family members is scheduled to be laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad on Thursday, coinciding with the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Sajjad (AS).
