Millions attend President Raeisi’s funeral ceremony in Tabriz

Crescent International

Dhu al-Qa'dah 13, 1445 2024-05-21

Daily News Analysis

by Crescent International

Funeral ceremonies were held today in Tabriz for the late President Ebrahim Raeisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Friday prayer leader of Tabriz Seyyed Ali Al-Hashem, East Azerbaijan governor Malek Rehmati, the presidential security personnel and helicopter crew.

They were martyred in a helicopter crash on May 19 after attending an inauguration ceremony for a dam on the Aras River.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev also attended the ceremony.

After recovery of the bodies on early Monday May 20 morning, they were transported to Tabriz, capital of the northwestern province.

Today’s funeral ceremony started in the morning drawing a massive crowd.

Typical of western media distortions, France24 alleged, “his unpopularity was flagrant.”

If millions of people attended the funeral ceremony of an “unpopular president”, what would be the turnout for a popular Iranian president?

Tabriz is a provincial capital in the far northwest of Iran.

Mourners marched alongside the coffins, draped with the Iranian flag.

They had gathered in Imam Khomeini Mosalla (prayer grounds) in Tabriz.

Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahdidi paid tribute to the late president saying Iran is mourning the loss of a beloved, popular, and humble president.

He also extolled the revolutionary diplomacy of the late foreign minister Amir Abdollahian.

Active resistance to imperialism and zionism will be remembered as his legacy, Vahidi added.

Referring to the helicopter crash, the Interior Minister said, “We had a bad landing in this matter, but we will have a brilliant rise.”

After the massive funeral procession in Tabriz, the bodies were flown to the holy city of Qom where another ceremony is being held this evening.

The bodies will then be transferred to the capital Tehran for funeral ceremonies on Wednesday (May 22).

The Rahbar, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei is expected to lead the prayers.

Leading civil and military officials are expected to attend the Wednesday ceremonies before the bodies are transported to the martyrs’ respective home towns for burial on Thursday May 23.