Khamenei’s body to be farewelled in Baghdad on July 8: Tehran mayor

TEHRAN, Iran — TEHRAN — The body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be farewelled in Baghdad on July 8, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency. Speaking in the capital about preparations for a ceremony in Tehran, Zakani said possible processional routes were under review, including Demavand Avenue, Revolution Avenue, Azadi Avenue and the Lashkari Highway. He said side streets and surrounding bypasses would also be used, as main avenues alone would not be sufficient for the expected crowds. Zakani added that final decisions on the route and ceremony site would take into account capacity, security and crowd management. He did not provide further details on the Baghdad ceremony, and no further information was immediately available. Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28 and was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.