Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was greeted by crowds chanting "Ali will protect you" at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, Iraq, according to an Iranian news channel tracked by The Zioneer and posted online.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was greeted by crowds at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala on Monday evening, a development that comes in the context of his ongoing visit to coordinate funeral arrangements for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Video and images shared by an Iranian news channel tracked by The Zioneer show supporters chanting and waving as Araghchi walked through the area. The scene at the major Shiite holy site marks the latest stop in a diplomatic trip that began earlier Sunday.
The Zioneer first reported on Sunday at 14:59 that Araghchi met with Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad, though the content of those talks was not disclosed. Later Sunday, at 14:59, the desk reported that the purpose of the trip was to coordinate preparations for the Supreme Leader's funeral, with Araghchi stating the funeral procession would pass through Baghdad, Kazimiya, Karbala, and Najaf, with burial in Mashhad. By Sunday at 14:59, The Zioneer reported that Araghchi had arrived in Karbala specifically to discuss official preparations for receiving Khamenei's casket, according to Yair Goldblatt (security and Middle East correspondent). The crowd reception at the shrine, reported on Monday evening, represents the first visible public engagement during this leg of the visit.
As The Zioneer previously reported, Araghchi traveled to Iraq on Sunday to thank the Iraqi government and people for their support of Iran, and to congratulate the new Iraqi government on behalf of Iran's president and supreme leader. The broader diplomatic context includes earlier phone calls with Qatari and French counterparts regarding Iran's response to recent developments, as well as statements on X framing Iran's actions as part of a struggle for honor — all previously reported by The Zioneer over the past several weeks.
It remains unclear whether Araghchi will hold further meetings or deliver statements during his stop in Karbala beyond the funeral coordination talks, and what specific schedule he has for the remainder of the visit.
5 developments
- StrongIranian FM Araghchi arrives in Iraq for second visit, thanks Baghdad for support
- DevelopingIranian FM Araghchi compares Imam Hussein to late Supreme Leader Khamenei in Ashura message
- DevelopingIranian FM Araghchi also said to be traveling alongside President Raisi
- StrongIranian FM Araghchi meets Pakistan's interior minister in Tehran
Source and signal
- Internal intake