The coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Tuesday, following funeral ceremonies in Iran. The procession, which began in Tehran, moved through the Shi’ite seminary city of Qom before reaching Najaf, one of Shi’ite Islam’s most sacred sites. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and senior officials received the coffin at Najaf International Airport, where Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also participated in the ceremonies.
The funeral processions, organized by Iran’s government, serve as both religious commemoration and a demonstration of continuity for the Islamic Republic following Khamenei’s death in a February 28 U.S.-Israeli strike. Large crowds are expected in Najaf, with mourners traveling from across Iraq and neighboring countries. The procession will continue to the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala before returning to Iran for burial in Mashhad later this week.
Meanwhile, tensions in the region remain high. The U.S. military conducted strikes in Iran early Wednesday in response to alleged Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated with strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain, raising concerns about the stability of a fragile interim agreement aimed at ending months of conflict in the Middle East. Talks between the U.S. and Iran are reportedly on hold until after Khamenei’s burial.
The funeral events have drawn significant public participation, with tens of thousands attending processions in Tehran. However, analysts caution against interpreting these crowds as broad support for the regime. Many attendees are believed to be part of state-linked patronage networks, including civil servants, students, and security-linked families, whose livelihoods depend on political conformity. Polling data, such as a 2024 survey by the Netherlands-based GAMAAN institute, suggests that around 70% of Iranians oppose the continuation of the Islamic Republic, though such surveys must be interpreted with caution due to potential fear-based responses.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij militia play a key role in maintaining control, tying jobs, subsidies, and personal safety to political loyalty. While the regime does not require universal support to sustain power, the presence of large crowds at state-organized events can create the appearance of unity and suppress dissent.