Iran’s supreme leader presides over funeral for President Raisi
Iran's supreme leader prayed Wednesday over the coffins of the country's late president, foreign minister and other officials who were killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week. Later, hundreds of thousands of people followed a procession honoring the dead down Tehran's main boulevard.
Iran’s supreme leader presides over funeral for President Raisi
Geurasia

Iran’s supreme leader presides over funeral for President Raisi

Photo: AFP
Eurasia 22/05/2024 17:13

Iran's supreme leader prayed Wednesday over the coffins of the country's late president, foreign minister and other officials who were killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week. Later, hundreds of thousands of people followed a procession honoring the dead down Tehran's main boulevard.

Iran's supreme leader presided over a funeral on Wednesday for the country's late president, foreign minister and others killed in a helicopter crash, as tens of thousands later followed a procession of their caskets through the capital, Tehran, Al Jazeera reported.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held the service at Tehran University,  paying tribute to Raisi at the University of Tehran before crowds of tens of thousands, who proceeded to walk from Enghelab (Revolution) Square to Azadi (Freedom) Square.

Guests at the memorial event included Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh, Turkey’s vice president and foreign minister, the deputy prime minister of India, the head of the Russian Duma, the Iraqi prime minister and representatives of the Taliban from Afghanistan.

Khamenei has declared five days of national mourning. Memorials for Raisi and his entourage began on Tuesday in the city of Tabriz and the Shia clerical centre of Qom.

AFP/Atta Kenare

Iranian media reported that in addition to closing cinemas, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has also halted all cultural and artistic activities across the country, including concerts, for seven days.

All Cultural Heritage Week events have been postponed, museums closed, all sports competitions suspended, wedding halls closed and wedding ceremonies postponed.

Following Wednesday’s procession, Raisi’s body will be taken to his hometown of Mashhad in the country’s northeast, where he will be buried after funeral rites at the Imam Reza Shrine.

The remains of others who were killed in the crash will also be sent to their hometowns to be buried.

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