According to the correspondent of the AhlulBayt (AS) International News Agency — ABNA — from holy Mashhad: at the moment, around the time of the noon call to prayer in Mashhad, while more than two hours remain until the official start of the ceremony, Imam Reza (AS) Street — announced as the main route for the funeral procession of the martyred Imam of the Ummah and his family — is filled with a massive crowd.
This is while since Wednesday evening many pilgrims had already gathered on Imam Reza (AS) Street, preparing to welcome the procession based on the earlier announcement that the funeral would begin on Thursday morning. According to the official ceremony committee, the funeral in Mashhad will begin today at 14:00.
The current crowd along the main funeral route — which is the usual path for religious and revolutionary ceremonies — has reached the size of Quds Day and 22 Bahman gatherings hours before the funeral has even begun, before the pure body has arrived, and while many pilgrims are still entering Mashhad by road, rail, and air to bid farewell to their martyred Leader.
Meanwhile, the targeting of the Tehran–Mashhad railway route has led to passengers being transferred to Mashhad by bus. The central bus terminal of Mashhad is currently witnessing the arrival of dozens of buses from across the country, unloading mourners from other provinces.
Hundreds of reporters and photographers are covering the event on Imam Reza (AS) Street and other streets around the shrine. Great attention is being paid to documenting today’s events by activists and citizens, with people — from media professionals to ordinary attendees — capturing the atmosphere of these hours in Mashhad using mobile phones or more advanced equipment.
On the other side, the gates of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) are open to pilgrims, and visitation continues with some temporary restrictions, just as the custodian of Astan Quds had promised.
At present, the airplane carrying the body of the martyred Leader of the Revolution, along with several officials, has landed in Mashhad and is moving toward the starting point of the ceremony.
Simultaneously, reception and service mokebs for pilgrims and mourners are active along the pedestrian pathways leading to the shrine — known as Rah‑e Bāgh — and are providing services. In addition to the servants of Astan Quds, hundreds of volunteer servants from other provinces have come to Mashhad for this historic farewell to the martyred Imam of the Ummah, creating beautiful scenes of devotion through their grassroots efforts.
Meanwhile, the presence of clerics and religious preachers among the people is striking. Some are serving directly in the crowd, while others have set up cultural and media mokebs to assist the public.
Around the squares surrounding the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), along the routes leading to the shrine, and even at the entrances of Mashhad, social and mosque‑based activists are inviting pilgrims and travelers to free accommodation. They have been planning extensively for three days, ensuring that almost no significant issue remains regarding lodging for participants. According to officials of the accommodation committees in Mashhad, many capacities are still available, and hospitality is ongoing.”**
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