On Tuesday, thousands of people gathered in a funeral march to pay their respects to the late Iranian President, Ibrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter accident. The commemorative events began in Tabriz, where the accident occurred and claimed the lives of Raisi and six others.
The procession started with an open truck carrying the coffins of the deceased, making its way through Martyrs Square and eventually arriving at the Badragh mosque. People threw flowers and scarves at the coffins as they passed by.
Attendees at the funeral march displayed banners with portraits of Raisi and flags of countries related to Iran, such as Iraq, Yemen, and Hezbollah. The event marked the beginning of a series of ceremonies organized by the authorities to honor those who lost their lives in the tragic accident. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared five days of mourning for those who were killed.
During the funeral march, Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi expressed his condolences on behalf of Iran’s government and said that they would overcome this tragedy despite facing challenges ahead. The interim president, Mohammad Mojber, announced that elections to choose a new president would be held on June 28th. Russia and Turkey have offered assistance to Iran in determining what caused the crash while an investigation is ongoing.
The death of Raisi has sparked mixed reactions among the Iranian population. While some mourn for a conservative politician who led them through difficult times, others remember his controversial past as a member of “Death Committees”. Funeral services will continue in different cities before Raisi is finally laid to rest in Mashhad, his birthplace on October 31st after ten days since his passing away on September 29th 2021 at age 57 years old.
