Iran is preparing funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that will extend beyond the country and include Iraq’s revered Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

According to plans announced for the commemorations, the main funeral rites will begin in Tehran, followed by additional services in other Iranian cities. The itinerary will then move to Iraq, where ceremonies are scheduled in Najaf and Karbala on separate days. The events are expected to draw large crowds and involve prominent religious and political figures, with Iraqi authorities coordinating security and logistics for the cross-border processions.

The scheduling places the Iraqi rites in the middle of a broader multi-city observance running over several days. After the Iraq ceremonies, the program will continue in Iran, culminating in burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

Officials said coordination between Iranian and Iraqi authorities is underway to manage the transport of the body and the public rites in the holy cities. The long, multi-location funeral program is also being viewed as a test of the ability of both countries to oversee a major religious event amid heightened political sensitivity around Khamenei’s death.