Tehran, Jul 05 (V7N) — Millions of mourners have gathered in the Iranian capital to attend the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the city's metro network recording an unprecedented surge in passenger traffic.
According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, more than seven million passenger trips were recorded on the Tehran Metro between 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday and 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, a figure significantly higher than normal daily usage.
The increase in passenger numbers has been attributed to the large crowds attending Khamenei's funeral and tribute ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla complex in Tehran.
The ceremony has drawn thousands of mourners, along with representatives from various countries, political leaders and religious figures, who gathered to pay their final respects to the late Iranian leader.
Organizers urged participants to use the metro instead of private vehicles to ease traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of large numbers of people across the capital.
Tasnim reported that the funeral and memorial ceremonies are scheduled to continue until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. Iranian authorities have implemented extensive security measures throughout Tehran, while the city's public transportation system has been placed on special operational alert to accommodate the influx of mourners.
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