By Khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0,
Tens of thousands of individuals in Lebanon are gathering to pay tribute to the late leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, who lost his life in an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut last September.
The public funeral, which was postponed for security considerations, commenced at 1 PM local time (11:00 GMT) on Sunday at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, which accommodates approximately 50,000 attendees.
The ceremony began with a speech delivered on behalf of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Subsequently, the adorned coffins of Nasrallah and his designated successor, Hashem Safieddine—who was killed in a subsequent Israeli airstrike a week later—were solemnly brought into the stadium. Both coffins were covered with yellow fabric, symbolizing the Iran-backed organization.
Upon seeing the coffins, the crowd erupted in applause before following the procession into the stadium in a hushed reverence.In a televised address, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem affirmed that the organization would continue to honor Nasrallah’s legacy.
“We will maintain our commitment and pursue this path; we will honor your wishes,” Qassem stated, addressing Nasrallah, and added: “You remain with us: your journey and struggle endure within us,” and “I remain devoted to Nasrallah’s legacy.”
Hezbollah organizers had arranged for thousands of additional seats on the stadium’s field, as well as numerous more outside, allowing mourners to view the ceremony on a large screen. Enormous portraits of Nasrallah adorned walls and bridges throughout southern Beirut.
Reporting from the location of the funeral procession, Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr remarked that Nasrallah served as a “father figure” for Lebanon’s Shia community, which has a substantial allegiance to Hezbollah.
“Nasrallah was not merely a leader for them; he was a paternal figure, a man who provided protection, as this community in Lebanon has historically felt marginalized,” she stated.
Khodr further noted that the message conveyed by the mourners was one of resilience, emphasizing their continued political strength.
Hezbollah representative Ali Daamoush informed journalists on Saturday that approximately 800 dignitaries from 65 nations are expected to participate in the funeral, alongside thousands of individuals and activists arriving from various parts of the globe.
