Enormous crowds of Iranians filled the streets of Tehran to participate in the funeral procession for President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash.
In the heart of Tehran, crowds of mourners holding portraits of President Raisi assembled near the University of Tehran, where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, conducted the funeral prayers.
Imam Khamenei embracing late President #Raisi's grandchildren in today's morning funeral ceremony.💔#IbrahimRaisi #IRANpic.twitter.com/Uj6gVWsWXz
— Syeda Aiman Zahra 🍁 (@SyedaaAiman) May 22, 2024
Accompanied by high-ranking officials, Khamenei conducted prayers for the deceased, which included Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
In northwestern Iran, President Raisi’s helicopter crashed into a mountainside enveloped in fog as he was returning to Tabriz from a ceremony near the Azerbaijan border.
Following the helicopter crash, an extensive search and rescue operation was initiated, with assistance from Turkey, Russia, and the European Union. Raisi’s death was announced by state television on Monday.
At 63 years old, Raisi, who was widely anticipated to become the next supreme leader after Khamenei, received tribute through large banners in Tehran, while others bid farewell to the advocate for the underprivileged.
Phone messages were sent to Tehran residents, encouraging them to participate in the funeral of the service martyr.
On Tuesday, funeral processions for Raisi and his entourage commenced in Tabriz and the Shia clerical center of Qom, attracting tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black.
The bodies will then be transported from Tehran to Mashhad, Raisi’s hometown in the northeast, where he will be laid to rest following funeral rites at the Imam Reza shrine.
Following his passing, Russia and China, along with NATO, expressed their condolences, while the UN Security Council observed a moment of silence.
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