Statement by the Higher Committee for the Preparation and Organization of the Funeral Ceremony •••••••••• In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful “And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and delighting in those who have not yet joined them from behind them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.” Allah the Almighty has spoken the truth. With hearts filled with profound sorrow and grief, yet with faithful and reassured souls, the Islamic Ummah, together with the entire world, witnessed the funeral ceremonies of the martyred Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei in the two holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, amid an atmosphere of solemnity and mourning. Recognizing the magnitude of its national and religious responsibility, the Higher Committee for the Preparation and Organization of the Funeral Ceremony began its work immediately upon receiving its mandate by developing a comprehensive plan for managing the funeral ceremonies. It held a series of intensive meetings with the relevant authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran and coordinated closely with the senior leadership of the two local governments, the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali, the Holy Shrines of Imam Hussein, and Al-Abbas, the Joint Operations Command, the security and service agencies, and all supporting institutions, with the aim of unifying efforts and mobilizing all available resources to fulfill this responsibility in the best possible manner. These efforts were translated into a comprehensive operational plan that included the formation of specialized committees, the development of flexible crowd management scenarios, the organization of the movement of mourning processions and participants, securing all designated routes, and providing a full range of services. A state of full mobilization was declared across all relevant institutions and government agencies, with the participation of Husseini processions and thousands of volunteers, in a manner commensurate with the scale and significance of the occasion. Despite the unprecedented turnout witnessed in the two holy cities—which, according to preliminary unofficial estimates, exceeded ten million mourners—the plans demonstrated a high level of effectiveness. The funeral ceremonies were carried out smoothly and in an orderly manner, without any significant security breaches or incidents, by the grace of Almighty Allah, and thanks to the awareness of the public, the high level of coordination among all participating institutions, and the exceptional dedication displayed by every entity involved. As it announces the successful completion of this national and religious mission, the Higher Committee extends its deepest appreciation to all official institutions, the Holy Shrines, the security and military forces—particularly the Popular Mobilization Commission—the health and service personnel, the Husseini processions, thousands of volunteers, and the Iraqi people as a whole, who presented an honorable example of discipline, cooperation, and commitment, and whose efforts contributed to the success of this occasion in a manner befitting the stature of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei and the significance of the event. The blessed body of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei (may his noble soul rest in peace), together with the bodies of the four martyred members of his family, departed this morning, Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. from Najaf International Airport, bound for the holy city of Mashhad in the Islamic Republic of Iran. We pray to Almighty Allah to envelop the martyred Grand Ayatollah and all the martyrs in His boundless mercy, to accept their sacrifices, and to preserve Iraq and its people with lasting security and stability. ••••• Ihsan Yassin Al-Awadi Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister