From Tehran to Qom, millions of mourners are shaping the features of the new era and renewing their pledge to the martyred Imam Ali Khamenei.

In an extraordinary scene that extended from the Iranian capital Tehran to the holy city of Qom, millions of Iranians, along with official and popular delegations from various countries around the world, continued the farewell ceremonies for the martyred Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, in one of the largest funerals of the modern era, amid an unprecedented public presence and successive political and popular messages that confirmed that the departure of the leader does not mean the end of the project that he led for decades, but rather represents the beginning of a new stage of adhering to the choices of the Islamic Revolution and strengthening the path of resistance in the face of pressures and challenges.

As the funeral procession moved to the city of Qom, days after the massive scenes witnessed in Tehran, it became clear that the Islamic Republic was not experiencing a fleeting farewell moment, but rather undertaking a national and historical event that had turned into a broad popular referendum on the path of the martyred Imam and the state’s strategic choices, under extremely sensitive regional and international circumstances.

Qom welcomes the martyred Imam with an unprecedented million-strong crowd
The city of Qom, the center of religious seminaries and one of the most important religious cities in Iran, witnessed the arrival of millions of people to participate in the funeral procession of the martyred Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, as the funeral procession set off from Jamkaran Mosque towards the shrine of Lady Fatima Masoumeh, amidst human waves that gathered along the roads and squares leading to the funeral route.

Scenes coming from the city showed the streets crowded with mourners who raised pictures of the martyred Imam and religious flags and banners, while the crowds chanted slogans affirming the continuation of his path and adherence to the choices of the Islamic Revolution, and chanted slogans that reflected the state of popular support for the leadership and the continuation of the project that the late Imam represented.

Due to the enormous human density, the funeral procession slowed down several times, while Iranian media described the ceremony as one of the largest popular gatherings the country has witnessed in its modern history.

From Tehran to Qom: A farewell journey that turns into a political message
The funeral ceremonies in Qom were not separate from the scene witnessed in Tehran during the past days, but rather came as a direct extension of the state of massive popular attendance that overwhelmed the Iranian capital since the start of the farewell ceremonies.

In Tehran, the main squares and streets turned into an unprecedented human flood, as millions poured in from various Iranian provinces to participate in bidding farewell to a leader whose name has been associated for decades with the march of the Islamic Republic and the confrontation of Western and Zionist hegemonic projects.

Enghelab Square, Tehran University, and Imam Khomeini Mosque were filled with mourners from all walks of life and ages, while red flags, pictures of the martyred Imam, and slogans were raised affirming the continuation of the path of resistance and the refusal to let the blood of the martyrs go unavenged.

Observers noted that the crowds witnessed in Tehran and then Qom went beyond mourning the loss of a prominent leader, turning into a broad political and popular expression of adherence to the principles upon which the Islamic Republic has been founded over the past decades.

Araghchi: Millions renewed their allegiance to the legacy of the martyred Imam
Amid the massive public gathering, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi affirmed that millions of Iranians had gathered in unity and solidarity to honor the martyred Imam and renew their loyalty to his legacy and path.

He pointed out that the millions of people reflected the extent of the bond between the people and their leadership, stressing that Iran remains committed to its rights and national principles, and that the policy of pressure and threats will not push it to back down from its positions or strategic choices.

Araghchi stressed that no political or negotiating path can succeed while threats continue, emphasizing that the Iranian people and their armed forces have once again proven that they do not succumb to pressure, no matter how intense it may be.

“The Iranian street front”: A new reading of the scene
For his part, the head of the Iranian Armed Forces Defense University, Major General Ismail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, considered that the million-strong popular participation constituted a practical response to a