US paper describes Leader's funeral as show of defiance

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Iran has begun a six-day mourning ceremony for its Leader, which Iranian officials see as a powerful symbol of resistance to the United States and Israel. Iranian officials have predicted that up to 20 million people will turn out for the farewell ceremonies across the country, making it one of the largest funerals in history. This is double the size of the roughly 10 million who attended the funeral of the late founder of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, in 1989. The funeral has now become more than a national act of mourning; it is a political message through which Iran seeks to demonstrate its defiance against American pressure and honor the memory of its leader, whose political legacy has had a profound impact on the Middle East. According to Mehr News Agency, the report highlights the scale and significance of the event.