Khamenei Funeral Rites Shift to Najaf, Iraq, Drawing Shiites to Imam Ali Shrine
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 8
Khamenei Funeral Rites Shift to Najaf, Iraq, Drawing Shiites to Imam Ali Shrine
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 8
Summary
Najaf hosted funeral rites for Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday, moving the ceremonies from Iran to neighboring Iraq.
The shift centers the mourning in one of Shiite Islam’s holiest cities, where followers from around the world are often buried near the shrine of Imam Ali.
Some officials said the public outpouring was also meant to underscore enduring Iraq-Iran ties despite longstanding U.S. efforts to maintain influence in Baghdad.