Body of slain Iranian supreme leader arrives in Iraq ahead of procession

The body of Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei arrived in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Tuesday for a funeral procession, Iranian state TV reported.

The arrival of the coffin arrival forms part of a procession carrying Khamenei's body through Shia holy sites in Iran and Iraq before his final burial.

The journey will conclude at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad—his hometown—where he is due to be laid to rest on July 9.

Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began on Feb. 28, triggering weeks of retaliatory attacks from Tehran targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US assets.