Mashhad: The unprecedented public turnout at the funeral processions for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution reflects the Iranian people's strength and devotion to velayat-e faqih (the guardianship of the Islamic jurist), says the head of the Ideological-Political Organization of Iran's Police Force.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ali Shirazi made the remarks on Thursday at the farewell ceremony for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Mashhad. He stated that the massive turnout signals the people's love for Islam, the Islamic Republic, and Islamic leadership. Shirazi emphasized, "We give our very existence for our martyred Imam, just as we sacrifice our existence for Imam Hossein (AS) and for keeping Ashura alive."

He further noted that just as the people enthusiastically supported Ayatollah Khamenei after Imam Khomeini, they will certainly stand fully behind the current Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei. Shirazi highlighted the scale of the mourning processions, noting that unprecedented crowds turned out for the farewell ceremonies for the martyred Leader in Tehran and Qom, as well as in Iraq.

"In Tehran, Qom, and Iraq, people turned out in unprecedented numbers and created an epic scene," Shirazi said, adding that people held enthusiastic gatherings in the streets for 130 nights after the martyrdom to demand retribution for his blood. The final ceremonies and burial for the martyred Leader are being held Thursday in Mashhad, where his body will be laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH).

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several family members were martyred on February 28, 2026, in a terror attack by the United States and the Israeli regime on his residence in downtown Tehran.