The prayers have been led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
TEHRAN : (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-May 22nd, 2024) The hundreds and thousands of people gathered in Tehran to offer funeral prayers for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and their entourage on Wednesday(today).
The prayers were led by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has been adorned with banners referring to Raisi as “the martyr of service” and “the servant of the disadvantaged.” Citizens were encouraged to participate in the funeral through messages distributed throughout the city.
The funeral procession, which included international dignitaries, began at the university and moved towards Enghelab Square in central Tehran. Prior ceremonies took place on Tuesday in Tabriz and Qom, attracting tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black.
After the ceremonies in Tehran, the bodies will be transported to South Khorasan province and then to Raisi’s hometown of Mashhad, where final rites will be held at the Imam Reza shrine on Thursday evening.
In response to the tragedy, Ayatollah Khamenei declared five days of national mourning and appointed Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as interim president. Mokhber will serve until the presidential election on June 28, when Raisi’s successor will be chosen.
The tragic incident occurred when Raisi’s helicopter crashed on a foggy mountainside in northern Iran on Sunday.
The crash happened as the helicopter was en route to Tabriz after Raisi had attended the inauguration of a dam project near the Azerbaijan border.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched, with support from Turkey, Russia, and the European Union. State television confirmed Raisi’s death early Monday morning.
