President Ebrahim Raisi was laid to rest in the Iranian holy city of Mashhad on Thursday, amidst a sea of mourners who thronged the streets to pay their final respects.
Raisi, 63, died tragically in a helicopter crash on Monday, an incident that also claimed the lives of eight other passengers and crew, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
Broadcast footage showed flowers being thrown at Raisi’s coffin as it moved slowly aboard a truck through the packed streets, ultimately being interred at the Imam Reza shrine, Iran's most sacred Islamic site.
This shrine, revered as the resting place of the 9th century Imam Ali al-Reza, provided a solemn backdrop for the ceremonies attended by high-ranking government and military officials, as well as prominent religious figures.
🔴 شہر مشہد میں ایرانی عوام کا سیلاب مرحوم صدر ابراہیم رئیسی کی نماز جنازہ میں شرکت کے لئے امڈ آیا۔
— RTEUrdu (@RTEUrdu) May 23, 2024
pic.twitter.com/V1hfb2TSUr
Earlier in the day, thousands had gathered in the eastern city of Birjand to pay their respects as Raisi’s coffin was driven through in a motorcade. The president’s death has cast a shadow over the nation, prompting the government to declare five days of mourning.
Raisi was a key figure in Iran’s political landscape, known for his hardline stance and his close alignment with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His policies aimed at reinforcing clerical power and cracking down on dissent marked his tenure. Raisi was also seen as a leading contender to succeed the 85-year-old Khamenei.
Following Raisi’s death, Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, has stepped in as interim president. The presidential election has been scheduled for June 28.
A separate ceremony was held to honor Amirabdollahian at the foreign ministry in Tehran. Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani lauded him as a martyr who had "guaranteed the revolutionary nature of the foreign ministry". Amirabdollahian was subsequently buried at the Shah Abdolazim shrine in the city of Rey, a resting place for many notable Iranian figures.
The helicopter crash that claimed Raisi’s life occurred in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, leaving the nation in mourning and contemplation of its future leadership.
