Financial Times: Khamenei’s Funeral Records Largest Funeral Crowd in Modern History with Participation Estimated at 15 Million People

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

The Iranian capital, Tehran, witnessed massive public crowds on Monday during the funeral ceremonies of the late Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a scene described by the British newspaper Financial Times as the largest in modern history in terms of the number of participants.

The newspaper stated that the number of participants in the funeral ceremonies is estimated at around 15 million people, considering that this unprecedented crowd makes the farewell ceremonies for Khamenei one of the largest funeral gatherings the world has witnessed in the modern era.

Unprecedented Public Influx in Tehran

The newspaper explained that the Iranian capital witnessed a vast influx of citizens from various provinces to take part in the funeral ceremonies, amid the continuous arrival of crowds to the procession sites, in an extraordinary scene reflecting the density of popular participation.

It added that the massive numbers witnessed in the streets of Tehran and the squares surrounding the funeral ceremonies reflect the scale of public turnout, which prompted the paper to classify the event among the largest funeral gatherings in modern history.

Ceremonies Continue in Iraq, Then Mashhad

According to the report, the funeral ceremonies are scheduled to continue on Tuesday in the cities of Karbala and Najaf, before concluding on Wednesday in the city of Mashhad, as part of a funeral program extending over several days.

Observers: The Crowds Reflect the Cohesion of the Iranian Home Front

Observers view that the broad public participation in the funeral ceremonies reflects the level of popular solidarity that has emerged following recent developments in Iran, considering the scale of attendance to be an indicator of the cohesion of the home front during this phase