Tehran, Jul 07 (V7N) — More than 34,000 people attending the funeral ceremonies of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have received medical treatment, but no deaths have been reported, according to Iranian emergency authorities.
The information was released by the country's emergency services and reported by Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
Iranian authorities have taken extensive safety measures to prevent a repeat of the tragic incidents that occurred during the funeral of Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.
According to official records, an estimated 10 million people attended Khomeini's funeral in 1989. At least 10 people were killed and more than 10,000 others were injured in a stampede caused by overwhelming crowds.
"There have been no deaths during the event so far. However, more than 34,000 participants have received medical and emergency treatment," Iran's emergency services chief Jafar Miadfar told the state-run IRNA news agency.
Authorities said additional ambulances, medical teams and emergency response units have been deployed across the funeral venues to handle the massive crowds. Security forces have also been placed on high alert to maintain order and ensure public safety.
Analysts say Iranian authorities have placed unprecedented emphasis on crowd management and emergency preparedness this time, drawing lessons from the 1989 tragedy to ensure that the funeral ceremonies proceed safely despite the attendance of millions of mourners.
Meanwhile, Iran's state television reported on Tuesday that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's body has arrived in the holy city of Qom. According to the report, the body was transported by helicopter from Tehran ahead of the scheduled farewell procession in the religious city.
The funeral ceremonies are expected to continue before Khamenei's final burial in his birthplace of Mashhad.
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