Vast crowds of Iranians loyal to the Islamic Republic have gathered in Tehran for the initial funeral ceremonies of the nation's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. State media reports indicate that six days of ceremonies will be held across Iran and neighboring Iraq, culminating in his burial in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday.
Authorities anticipate that up to 20 million people will attend the events. The funeral proceedings are being described as an "intensely political moment" for the country. Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes at the commencement of the current conflict.
International media organizations operating in Iran are subject to restrictions, including prohibitions on using their reporting for the BBC's Persian Service, as stipulated by the BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, who is present in Tehran.