Iran began six days of public funeral ceremonies spanning across five cities and two countries for its late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
In Tehran, people have gathered at the Grand Mosalla for the first day of Khamenei's farewell ceremonies. Iranian authorities say 15 million to 20 million mourners are expected in Tehran alone for the three-day farewell ceremony in the capital.
Due to the massive influx of mourners, authorities imposed strict traffic controls around the mosque, closing the area to vehicles and permitting only pedestrian access. The city arranged shuttle buses to transport visitors from outside Tehran to metro stations and the event site, while all public transportation was made free and metro services operated 24 hours a day.
Mourners, many carrying red banners symbolizing vengeance, filled the vast courtyard of the Grand Mosalla. Some described the occasion as more than a state funeral, but a deeply personal loss that feels like a family tragedy.
"I have been standing here since 4:00 a.m. to visit the leader. Our leader was our red line. Our leader was our everything," said Fatemeh, a participant.
"It's as if people have lost their own father; they are mourning just as they would for their own father. They are wearing black from the depths of their hearts. They have come spontaneously, giving their all, and despite the roads being closed, they have still made their way here," said Mahdieh Sadat, another participant.
In the Grand Mosalla's open square, a raised platform held the coffins of Khamenei, his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and his 14-month-old granddaughter, all of whom were killed on February 28 when the U.S. and Israeli launched a large-scale air strike against Iran.
"This is not just [Donald] Trump. The history of the United States has shown that for a long time its policy has been to impose its will through force and lies. But now, the people of the world are awakening. The blood of our leader has opened people's eyes and awakened them," said Hassan, another participant.
Khamenei's coffin will remain in state in Tehran until Monday. In the coming days, the funeral procession will continue to the holy city of Qom before crossing into neighboring Iraq, ahead of his burial in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday.
Thousands gather in Tehran as Khamenei farewell ceremonies begin
China's postal and express delivery industry is being revolutionized by advanced technologies such as smart warehousing, automated sorting, and unmanned delivery systems.
In Zhenning County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, local honey plums are currently in peak production and sales season. Express delivery companies have partnered with fruit growers, directly entering the orchards for sorting and packaging.
Utilizing drones and shuttles, these companies have created an integrated delivery system that combines picking and sorting with direct dispatch. This innovation addresses previous challenges, such as farmers transporting goods down steep mountains, excessive transfers, and significant product loss.
"Once the fruit is packed by farmers, drones first transport the plums to a collection point at the mountain's base, after which trucks take them to a sorting center for dispatch. This allows Zhenning honey plums picked and packaged the same day to be shipped out by drone, establishing a rapid fresh-fruit transport channel," said Lai Junnan, a drone specialist from a local logistics company.
To tackle inefficiencies like time-consuming sorting and delays from secondary redistribution, express delivery companies have deployed intelligent automated sorting vehicles, established dedicated shipping routes, and enhanced direct links to airports.
"The automated sorting vehicles operate on six shipping routes that send items directly to the corresponding airports for quick distribution. These direct routes have significantly reduced our sorting time compared to previous years -- we've cut it by more than half a day," said Liu Banglei, business director of a local logistics company.
Meanwhile, the introduction of unmanned vehicles has significantly reduced delivery times, especially in rural and remote areas.
"Our area used to be quite remote, and packages often arrived late. However, since we started using unmanned vehicles, delivery times have improved significantly. Now we can pick up our parcels by noon -- it's much faster than before," said Li Hongbao, a resident of Pingchuan Town, Linze County northwest China's Gansu Province.
Unmanned delivery vehicles are now deployed daily in over 200 cities to transport parcels, with drones handling nearly four million items each year. Many large sorting centers have fully automated operations, while smart warehouses utilize flying-ladder and pallet-moving robots for precise picking.
Once packaged, parcels enter an automated system for weighing, scanning, and bagging, completing the process in as little as 15 minutes. Electronic waybills have achieved full coverage, and over 95 percent of trunk-line vehicles are equipped with Beidou satellite navigation systems.
These advancements in information technology are enhancing efficiency, increasing successful delivery rates, and boosting user satisfaction each year.
Technology transforms China's delivery industry
