Iraqi authorities have completed preparations for a three-stage farewell ceremony for Iran’s deceased supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

According to Tehran Times, Iraqi officials expect the mourning events commemorating Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 as a result of a U.S.-Israeli strike, to draw one of the largest crowds seen in Iraq in recent years.

Karbala Governor and head of the province’s Supreme Security Committee, Nasif Jassim al-Khattabi, described the farewell ceremony as a major event, stating: “This event will undoubtedly be significant and will have an extremely serious scale and consequences.”

He noted that Karbala will receive an exceptionally large number of participants in the mourning events, as many residents from different regions of Iraq are seeking to come to the holy city to take part in the ceremony.

“The farewell ceremony will take place in three stages: an official state ceremony on Tuesday evening, then another mourning procession on Wednesday morning in Najaf, and a farewell ceremony at 4:00 p.m. local time in Karbala,” al-Khattabi said.

The governor also stated that Wednesday will be declared an official day off in Karbala to ensure the holding of the large-scale ceremony dedicated to the “fallen leader,” as well as to give residents the opportunity to host guests, provide assistance, and participate in the events.

At the same time, an informed Iraqi official told the media that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will receive Ayatollah Khamenei’s body at Najaf International Airport on Tuesday. According to the source, Iraqi officials will also take part in the airport reception ceremony for the “leader of the ummah.”

Earlier, the Iraqi committee responsible for organizing the farewell ceremony for Ayatollah Khamenei stated that all preparatory, logistical, and coordination work for the official reception in Najaf and the nationwide mourning procession in Karbala had been completed, Mehr reported.

“The official reception ceremony for the leader of the Islamic ummah will take place on Tuesday at Najaf International Airport with the participation of Iraqi officials and a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” committee spokesman Major General Saad Maan said.

“The nationwide mourning procession in Karbala will begin on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.,” he added.