Masses packed the streets of Najaf on Wednesday as the coffin of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was carried through the holy city in a solemn procession, marking Iraq's tribute to the late leader in the heartland of Shia Islam.
Iran launched six days of nationwide funeral ceremonies for Khamenei on Saturday, dedicating one day to neighboring Iraq, a Shia-majority nation with deep religious and political ties to Tehran.
The Islamic Republic hopes the extended ceremonies will project resilience and national unity following the Middle East war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 that killed Khamenei and several of his relatives.
The procession in Najaf unfolded as tensions between the United States and Iran escalated again in the Strait of Hormuz, further complicating efforts to secure a ceasefire and end the conflict.
The U.S. military said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in retaliation for Tehran's attacks on three commercial vessels in the strategic waterway. Iran's Revolutionary Guard later said it had launched strikes against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
