Iran State Media: Plane Carrying Khamenei’s Coffin Lands in Mashhad Ahead of Burial

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing AFP and Xinhua, Iranian state media reported that a plane carrying the coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei landed in the eastern holy city of Mashhad, with burial rites set to be held. AFP, citing Iran’s official news agency IRNA, said a Mahan Air flight arrived in Khamenei’s hometown of Mashhad on Thursday, July 9, after funeral ceremonies in Iraq’s holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. Xinhua previously reported that a farewell ceremony was held in Tehran on July 3, attended by Iranian figures, religious leaders and officials from multiple countries, and that official plans called for a funeral procession in Qom on July 7, ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala on July 8, and burial in Mashhad on July 9.