- Khamenei leads prayers at Raisi’s funeral
- Mourners fill Tehran streets for Raisi’s procession
- Raisi’s funeral procession moves through downtown Tehran
In anticipation of the late president’s interment later this week, the coffins were loaded onto a trailer for a procession through downtown Tehran.
A funeral procession for Iran’s late president, foreign minister, and other victims of a helicopter accident has been attended by tens of thousands of mourners.
On Sunday, an accident near the border with Azerbaijan claimed the lives of Ebrahim Raisi and seven other individuals.
The funeral at Tehran University was presided over by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who conducted prayers for the victims.
The caskets of the deceased, which included the late foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, were adorned with Iranian flags that bore their photographs.
The late president’s coffin was adorned with a black turban, which served as a testament to his status as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad of Islam.
In the standard Arabic supplication for the deceased, Mr Khamenei lamented, “Oh Allah, we have witnessed nothing but goodness from him.”
Mohammad Mokhber, the interim president of Iran, was present at the service and publicly wept.
The coffins were then carried out on the shoulders of individuals, and chants of “death to America” could be heard outside.
The coffins were transported to Azadi, where Mr Raisi has previously delivered speeches, through downtown Tehran on a trailer for a procession.
Leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary organization that serves as one of the nation’s most significant power centres, were present.
In addition, Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, the militant organization that Iran has provided weapons and support during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, attended the funeral.
“Unlock your financial potential with free Webull shares in the UK.”
The funeral will be relocated to Mashhad, the city in the eastern region of Iran where Mr Raisi was born, for interment on Thursday.
It coincides with the clerical establishment’s preparation for an early election, which could further undermine its legitimacy in the face of escalating public discontent.
The June 28 vote to replace Mr. Raisi, who was 63 years old when he died, will require the mobilization of a populace that demonstrated minimal interest in the 2021 plebiscite.
Following a historic low voter turnout of approximately 41% during a parliamentary election in March, Iran’s leaders are under pressure to ensure a high turnout for the upcoming election next month.
