TEHRAN – Tehran's Mosalla opened its gates on Saturday for the first day of a two-day public farewell to the martyred Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was martyred alongside members of his family during the recent US-Israeli aggression against Iran. Ahead of Monday's funeral procession, hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects.

 Despite the scale of the gathering, the prevailing impression was one of order, careful organization, and a steady rhythm that allowed visitors to come and go without major congestion.

Long lines of people filled the streets, yet the flow never came to a standstill. Rather than concentrating the crowds into a short period, the schedule has allowed mourners to arrive throughout the day while others leave after paying their respects. 

With some subway stations closest to the Mosalla temporarily closed to ease crowd pressure, many visitors completed part of their journey on foot. At subway stations, where travel was provided free of charge, volunteers greeted passengers with flowers before they joined the steady stream of pedestrians heading toward the ceremony.

The roads leading to the Mosalla, closed to regular traffic, became corridors of people. Along the route, volunteers, local community groups, and trade associations had established service stations offering drinking water and refreshments. Under Tehran's intense summer heat, water-spraying vehicles and volunteers equipped with portable mist sprayers were stationed every few meters, helping make the long walk more comfortable.

Attention to detail was visible throughout the route. Trash bags and waste bins had been placed at frequent intervals, and despite the widespread use of disposable water bottles and cups, little litter could be seen. Municipal sanitation workers remained on duty along the streets, clearing waste almost as quickly as it appeared. Emergency medical teams, security personnel, and volunteers were also stationed throughout the area, assisting visitors and maintaining the smooth movement of the crowds.

After passing through security checkpoints, visitors entered the Mosalla's vast central courtyard, where the farewell ceremony is being held. The large open space remained filled throughout the day, yet the atmosphere was notably orderly. As one group of mourners reached the center of the venue to pay their respects, another departed, allowing thousands to move through the ceremony without disrupting its rhythm.

People from every generation could be seen among the mourners. Families carried infants in their arms while elderly visitors slowly made their way through the crowd. Women with different styles of dress stood alongside one another, reflecting the diversity of those attending the ceremony. Organized groups from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Iraq also joined the gathering, adding an international dimension to the event.

Throughout the Mosalla, volunteers guided visitors with patience and courtesy. Air-conditioned halls provided places to rest from the summer heat, while carpeted sections allowed mourners to pray or sit quietly before continuing their visit. Cooling mist systems operated across much of the complex, softening the effects of the high temperatures. In one of the covered halls, elegies and poetry were recited in Persian, English, and Urdu as visitors paused to listen.

Iranian flags, black mourning banners, and portraits of the Leader covered much of the venue, while a platform overlooking the courtyard accommodated Iranian and foreign journalists documenting the ceremony from above.

At the heart of the gathering, elevated above the surrounding crowd, rested the coffins of the Leader and members of his family. Throughout the day, elegies, Quran recitations, and mourning chants echoed across the vast courtyard as thousands stood facing the coffins, many with tears in their eyes. Iranian flags and red Ya Latharat al-Hussein (O Avengers of Hussein's Blood) banners waved above the gathering, while portraits of the Leader were held aloft by mourners. Among the coffins, the smallest—that of the Leader's 14-month-old grandchild, who was also killed in the recent attack—became one of the most heartrending symbols of the ceremony, drawing the gaze of mourners throughout the day.

  SAB/