July 9th Mashhad: Account of Foreign Media Presence at Leader's Funeral

On 18 Tir, the funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was held in Mashhad. The ceremony drew large public attendance and was also covered by foreign media. According to some sources, the event helped spread a spirit of self-sacrifice, martyrdom, and resistance throughout society.

• The funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was held in Mashhad on 18 Tir.
• Foreign media, including a Lebanese photographer and a Chinese reporter, covered the event.
• Mehr News Agency reported the presence of a “million-strong and historic” crowd at the ceremony.
• People in Mashhad’s Shohada Square, who attend nightly gatherings there every evening, appeared in the square with renewed enthusiasm on 18 Tir.
• Hojjatoleslam Loqmanpour, Director General of the Office for the Preservation of Sacred Defense and Resistance Values in Qom Province, stated that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral caused the spirit of self-sacrifice, martyrdom, and resistance to multiply among the people.
• Hojjatoleslam Loqmanpour described the funeral’s attendance as “tens of millions.”
• Mehr News Agency described the ceremony as “endless solidarity,” noting that “this grief has crossed geographical borders.”. Coverage difference: Mehr News Agency emphasized the extensive public turnout, the presence of foreign media, and the solidarity generated at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral. In contrast, Defa Press, quoting Hojjatoleslam Loqmanpour, focused on the spiritual and social consequences of the ceremony, namely the spread of a spirit of self-sacrifice, martyrdom, and resistance. Regarding attendance, Mehr News spoke of a “million-strong funeral,” while Defa Press, quoting Hojjatoleslam Loqmanpour, referred to a “tens-of-millions funeral.”