Khamenei’s Tehran funeral sees massive turnouts as NYT journalists navigate tight restrictions

In early March, foreign journalists from The New York Times became the first U.S.-based reporters allowed inside Iran since the war began. Correspondent Abdi Latif Dahir and photographer Emile Ducke, with a video crew, attended multiple funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran and other cities, including the crowded procession to Azadi Square that stretched for hours.

Their access was limited to pre‑approved venues such as the Grand Mosalla mosque complex, and they were accompanied at all times by government‑assigned guides. The team faced logistical hurdles—last‑minute visas, closed airspace, and the need to secure secure communication equipment.

The coverage highlighted the broader constraints on foreign media in Iran: state‑imposed surveillance, intermittent internet, throttled satellite links and the necessity of encrypted channels. Reporters had to rely on low‑bandwidth transmission, satellite phones and local contacts to verify crowd size and sentiment, countering official narratives that emphasize mass attendance.