Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Wednesday to pay their respects at the funeral of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Notable figures including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh traveled to Tehran to offer condolences on behalf of Palestinian resistance groups. President Raisi, along with several others, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash while navigating through dense fog in mountainous terrain. Among the casualties were Ali Ale-Hashem, the Supreme Leader’s representative, East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, two bodyguards, two pilots, and one crew member.
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The wreckage of the Bell 212 helicopter was discovered early Monday after an arduous overnight search conducted in blizzard conditions. All passengers, including President Raisi, were pronounced dead.
Iran is currently observing a period of mourning following the devastating crash. Funeral ceremonies commenced on Tuesday in Tabriz and Qom, drawing large crowds of mourners dressed in black attire. After the funeral in Tehran, the bodies will be transported to South Khorasan province and then to Raisi’s hometown of Mashhad in the northeast. President Raisi will be laid to rest on Thursday evening following funeral rites at the shrine of Imam Raza.
In the wake of President Raisi’s passing, Supreme Leader Khamenei has declared five days of national mourning. Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, aged 68, has been appointed as caretaker president until the upcoming election on June 28th, when Raisi’s successor will be chosen.
