Funeral procession for Ali Khamenei ends in Najaf, body to be moved to Karbala

NAJAF, Iraq — The funeral procession for Ali Khamenei in Najaf ended on Saturday after a march through the city's main streets that drew millions of participants, according to a correspondent on the ground. The procession followed its planned route and moved in line with a pre-arranged security plan, the reporter said, with no reported disruptions. The organizing committee said the Najaf leg of the ceremony was completed on schedule and announced that the body will be transferred to Karbala for a second funeral scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. Security forces deployed across Najaf throughout the event, with wide-ranging measures in place along the procession route. Officials said the ceremonies in both Najaf and Karbala will be open to public participation. The committee did not provide further details on the Karbala program beyond the scheduled start time.