Iran official says 120 Iraqi MPs invited to Khamenei funeral ceremony in Iraq

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian official coordinating farewell events for Khamenei said 120 Iraqi members of parliament have been sent official invitations to attend a funeral ceremony for the Iranian leader's remains in Iraq. Ali Akbar Bour Jamshidian, secretary of Iran's national farewell committee for Khamenei, told the Al Alam channel that a formal reception will be held at either Baghdad or Najaf airport for the remains and accompanying family members. He said Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and a large number of senior officials are expected to attend, and that an Iraqi commission has been established under the prime minister's supervision to oversee preparations at what he described as an "extremely high level." Bour Jamshidian said more than one million people have registered for the funeral ceremony in Iran. He added that shrine officials, the Arbaeen Commission and Iraq's religious authority have also expressed willingness to participate in the Iraq-based ceremony. The decision to hold the ceremony in Iraq reflects Khamenei's wish to visit Karbala and Najaf, according to his family and Iran's revolutionary administration, Bour Jamshidian said. He also reported that officials from more than 45 countries, including heads of state and government, foreign ministers and clerics, have confirmed attendance at a ceremony in Tehran on Friday.