TEHRAN: Iran is bracing for one of the largest human gatherings in history as the nation prepares for the final journey of the martyred Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Iranian state media, over 20 million mourners from across the country are expected to converge on the capital, Tehran, for the funeral prayers. This massive influx will temporarily triple the capital’s existing population of 10 million, prompting authorities to make large-scale logistical and security arrangements. While the central funeral will take place in Tehran, major memorial services and concurrent funeral ceremonies are also scheduled in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad to accommodate the nationwide grief.
The atmosphere across the country remains deeply somber as the body of the late Supreme Leader has been moved to the Imam Khomeini Imam Bargah in Tehran. Emotional scenes were witnessed as family members, close associates, top Iranian officials, and families of martyrs gathered to pay their final respects. Alongside these arrangements, the funeral prayer for Ayatollah Khamenei’s son-in-law, the martyred Dr. Misbah Baqeri, is also scheduled to be offered. Highlighting the global significance of the event, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that high-level delegations and official guests from more than 100 countries are arriving to attend the services, for which stringent security and protocol measures have been strictly implemented.
