Iraq on Sunday announced a three-day period of national mourning following the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US and Israeli strikes.
Government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement: “With deep sorrow, we extend our condolences to the noble people of Iran and the entire Muslim world” after Khamenei was killed in “a blatant act of aggression”.
He confirmed that Baghdad had declared three days of mourning and called for an immediate halt to military operations that “are driving the region to unprecedented levels of violence”.
Iran exerts considerable influence in Iraqi politics and supports a number of armed groups whose political and financial clout has expanded in recent years. Iraq has long served as a proxy battleground between the United States and Iran.
The Coordination Framework, a ruling coalition of Shiite groups with varying degrees of ties to Tehran, said: “With deep sorrow and profound grief, we mourn the passing of the martyred leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei”.
The coalition added that his “blood will remain a guiding light for all generations” and that “the curse will continue to haunt the murderous Zionists for all time”.
Influential cleric Moqtada Sadr also expressed condolences, stating: “We extend our condolences to the Islamic world”, and likewise declared a three-day mourning period.