Hamas Leader Attends Funeral of President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, Supervised by Ayatollah Khamenei
On Wednesday, a large number of Iranians crowded the streets of Tehran to participate in the grand funeral procession for President Ebrahim Raisi and seven other officials who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
Funeral Prayers Led by Iran's Supreme Leader
The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, presided over the funeral prayers for the departed, including the foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Khamenei recited Islamic funeral verses and said, "Oh Allah, we didn’t see anything but good from him."
Memorial Events at Freedom Square
A correspondent from Al Jazeera, reporting from 'Freedom Square' where the memorial events are being held, stated, "The streets are completely closed to traffic, [with] heavy security measures here, several security checkpoints, and you can see thousands and thousands of people are already pouring into this area."
Memorial Processions in Other Cities
Memorial processions were also held in other cities. The Associated Press provided details about the prayers led by Khamenei in Tehran. After the leader left, the crowd rushed to the front, trying to touch the coffins. Iran’s acting president, Mohammad Mokhber, was seen openly weeping during the service.
The coffins were then carried out on the shoulders of the people, with chants of “Death to America!” echoing outside. They were loaded onto a semi-truck-trailer for a procession through downtown Tehran to Azadi Square, or Freedom Square, where Raisi had delivered speeches in the past.
Attendance by Delegations and Foreign Ministers
Delegations and foreign ministers from various countries attended the funeral, including the vice president of Turkey and representatives from the Taliban. However, one of the more prominent and controversial figures present was Hamas’s political leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh expressed his condolences on behalf of the Palestinian people and the resistance factions of Gaza. He mentioned that the late president had emphasized that "the Palestinian issue" is a central concern for all Muslims, who "must fulfill their obligations to the Palestinians to liberate their land".
Final Resting Place
Later in the week, the bodies will be transported to South Khorasan province for additional memorial services. Raisi will then be laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad in the northeast at the renowned Shia pilgrimage site, the Imam Reza shrine.
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