Thousands of mourners packed the streets of the Iranian holy city of Mashhad on Thursday (May 23) for the funeral of President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed four days ago in a helicopter crash. He was laid to rest at the gold-domed Imam Reza shrine, the holiest Islamic site in Iran.

Mashhad

Thousands of mourners gathered in Mashhad, Iran, to pay their respects at the funeral of President Ebrahim Raisi, who recently died in a helicopter crash. The ceremony took place four days after the accident and included a procession in Burj And and a motorcade through the streets of Mashhad. President Raisi was buried at the gold-domed Imam Reza Shrine, considered the holiest Islamic site in Iran.

The crash, which occurred near the Azerbaijan border, claimed the lives of all eight passengers and crew members, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. Iran declared five days of mourning in honor of Raisi, who was known for enacting hard-line policies under the mentorship of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. These policies focused on maintaining clerical power, suppressing opposition, and taking a firm stance on foreign policy issues, including nuclear negotiations with Washington.

At 63 years old, Raisi was considered a potential successor to the 85-year-old Supreme Leader Khamenei. An interim president has been appointed to lead the country until the upcoming election.



Mourners pack Iranian city for Raisi burial

Thousands of mourners patched the streets of Mashhad on Thursday for the funeral of Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi. The ceremony in Raisi's hometown took place four days after he was killed in a helicopter crash along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others. He was laid to rest at the gold-domed Imam Reza Shrine, the holiest Islamic site in Iran. Raisi's coffin was flown to Mashhad in north-east Iran, where it was welcomed by a guard of honour, after a procession was held for him on Thursday morning in the eastern city of Burj And. Thousands there paid their respects as his remains were driven through the streets in a motorcade. Eight passengers and crew died when Raisi's helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border. Iran proclaimed five days of mourning for Raisi, who enacted the hard-line policies of his mentor, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, aimed at entrenching clerical power, cracking down on opponents and adopting a tough line on foreign policy issues, such as nuclear talks with Washington, to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear pact. Sixty-three-year-old Raisi was widely seen as a candidate to succeed 85-year-old Khamenei, who wields ultimate power in Iran. The country has installed an interim president until the upcoming election, scheduled for June 28.

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