Iran coordinates with Iraq on Khamenei funeral at Shia holy sites

Funeral Coordination

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Sunday that Tehran is coordinating with Baghdad to establish a special mechanism for holding funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at Shia holy shrines in Iraq during his official visit to the Iraqi capital.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, Araghchi said he held productive discussions in Baghdad and briefed Hussein on developments regarding negotiations with the US and the Strait of Hormuz. "The strait remains under Iranian control and things will return to normal after all obstacles are removed," he said, without providing further details on the funeral ceremonies.

Regional Tensions

Hussein, for his part, said that "the war is still ongoing in Hormuz" despite the June 18 memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington aimed at reaching a lasting peace agreement. "Iraq rejects wars and supports resolving disputes through negotiations," he added, noting that the waterway's closure had harmed Iraqi oil exports and damaged the national economy.

The visit comes amid rising escalation between Iran and the US, with the American military's Central Command carrying out strikes against multiple targets in Iran on Saturday after Tehran's latest attack on a commercial ship near the strait. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps subsequently launched missile and drone strikes targeting eight US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, while Baghdad maintains it stands ready to support efforts aimed at ending the conflict definitively.