Plane carrying coffins of martyred Leader and family arrives in Iraq

According to Press TV citing Iran's official IRNA news agency, a plane carrying the coffins of the martyred members of Ayatollah Khamenei's family arrived at Najaf airport in Iraq late on Tuesday. The coffins will be taken to funeral processions planned for Wednesday in Najaf and the holy city of Karbala. Millions of Iraqis are expected to attend, as Ayatollah Khamenei was a respected cleric in Iraq and a source of emulation for millions of Shia Muslims in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi announced Wednesday as a public holiday to facilitate the massive event. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also arrived at Najaf airport to attend the funeral and hold high-level talks with Iraqi officials.

Ayatollah Khamenei and four members of his family were martyred in a joint US-Israeli attack on his office and residence in Tehran on February 28. The funeral in Iraq follows two similar processions in Tehran and Qom. His body is planned to be laid to rest on Thursday at the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad.

According to Mehr News, the report by Press TV and IRNA added that the plane carried the coffins of the martyred Leader and his family members.