from Tehran Times
The official mourning ceremonies commenced on Saturday morning at
Tehran's Grand Imam Khomeini Mosalla, where an unprecedented sea of
mourners assembled to pay their final respects to a leader whose life
and legacy profoundly shaped the Islamic Republic for more than three
decades.
Long before sunrise, roads leading to the sprawling religious complex
were filled with people arriving from every corner of Iran. Families,
veterans, clerics, students, tribal elders, and pilgrims travelled
through the night, many carrying Iranian flags, portraits of Ayatollah
Khamenei, Qur'ans and black mourning banners. Their destination was not
merely the funeral of a national leader, but what many regarded as a
historic moment to honor a man they viewed as the guardian of the
Islamic Revolution and a symbol of steadfast resistance against foreign
domination.
Across the capital, black flags fluttered from government buildings,
mosques and public squares. Large banners stretched over major streets
proclaimed the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei and celebrated his
enduring place in Iran's contemporary history. Loudspeakers broadcast
verses from the Holy Qur'an, elegies and revolutionary anthems, creating
a solemn atmosphere that extended well beyond the Mosalla...
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