Iran Stages Khamenei's Funeral Across Iraq's Holiest Shrines

Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral procession moves from Tehran through Najaf and Karbala—Shia Islam's most sacred sites—before his July 9 burial in Mashhad. The routing requires Iraqi government approval and signals functional alignment between Tehran and Baghdad. The itinerary reinforces Khamenei's standing across transnational Shia networks while Iran's Assembly of Experts selects his successor.