Tens of 1000’s of Iranians joined the funeral procession for late President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in Tehran on Wednesday, with the nation’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei main prayers.
Flanked by high officers, Khamenei mentioned prayers over the coffins of the eight lifeless from Sunday’s helicopter crash, who additionally included Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
A sea of mourners crammed the open area round Tehran University, the place the prayers have been held earlier than the funeral procession moved on to Enghelab and Azadi squares.
State tv mentioned that Raisi, who had been broadly seen as Khamenei’s almost definitely successor as supreme chief, had obtained a “millionfold farewell” from the folks of Tehran.
“We have lost a prominent personality. He was a very good brother. He was an efficient, competent, sincere, and serious official,” Khamenei tolf visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani.
The chief of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, joined the procession, as did the deputy chief of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Naim Qassem.
“I say once again … we are sure that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its support for the Palestinian people,” Haniyeh informed the gang to chants of “Death to Israel.”
‘Martyr of service’
In the capital, large banners have gone up hailing the late president as “the martyr of service,” whereas others bade “farewell to the servant of the disadvantaged.”
Tehran residents obtained cellphone messages urging them to hitch the funeral procession.
“I was sad, I came to calm my heart and calm the heart of the supreme leader,” mentioned one mourner who gave her identify solely as Maryam and mentioned she had traveled from Varamin, south of Tehran, to pay her final respects.
Raisi’s helicopter crashed right into a fog-shrouded mountainside in northwestern Iran on Sunday as he headed again to the town of Tabriz after attending a ceremony on the border with Azerbaijan.
An enormous search and rescue operation was launched, involving assist from Türkiye, Russia and the European Union. State tv introduced Raisi’s demise early Monday.
The Iranian navy mentioned Wednesday that domestically produced drones had performed the important thing function in finding the crash web site.
Burial in Mashhad
Funeral ceremonies for Raisi and his entourage started Tuesday with processions via Tabriz and the Shiite clerical middle of Qom drawing tens of 1000’s of black-clad mourners.
From Tehran, the our bodies might be taken to Iran’s second metropolis of Mashhad, Raisi’s hometown within the northeast, the place he might be buried Thursday night after funeral rites on the Imam Reza shrine.
Khamenei, who wields final authority in Iran, has declared 5 days of nationwide mourning and assigned Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, 68, as caretaker president till a June 28 election for Raisi’s successor.
Iran’s high nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri, who was Amirabdollahian’s deputy, has been named appearing international minister.
The nation’s armed forces chief Mohammad Bagheri has ordered an investigation into the reason for the helicopter crash.
Raisi was elected president in 2021, succeeding the reasonable Hassan Rouhani at a time when the financial system was battered by U.S. sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear actions.
The ultra-conservative’s time in workplace noticed mass protests, a deepening financial disaster and unprecedented armed exchanges with archenemy Israel.
After his demise, Russia and China despatched their condolences, as did NATO, whereas the U.N. Security Council noticed a minute’s silence.
Messages of condolence additionally flooded in from Iran’s allies across the area, together with the Syrian authorities in addition to Hamas and Hezbollah.
Source: www.dailysabah.com