In Iraq, ten provinces announced the suspension of government institutions in connection with farewell ceremonies for Iran’s deceased Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, which will take place in the provinces of Najaf and Karbala, Mehr reports.

It is reported that the regions closing their offices include Baghdad, Najaf, Karbala, Babil, Dhi Qar, Basra, Maysan, Wasit, Muthanna, and Diwaniyah.

Karbala Provincial Council head Qassem Ali al-Yasari said that the region had completed all the necessary preparations for the ceremony.

“The province is fully prepared to receive the sacred body of Iran’s martyred leader, Ayatollah Khamenei,” he said.

Earlier, Haidar Kaboun, director of the Department of Rituals and Mass Pilgrimages in Najaf, reported that more than 60 religious groups had registered to participate in the events.

Various Iraqi tribes and religious communities also called for mass participation in the ceremony, which, according to a statement by the organizing committee, is to take place on Wednesday in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.