Huge crowds gather in Tehran for Raisi’s funeral

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led prayers for the late President Ebrahim Raisi on May 22 as huge crowds thronged the capital Tehran for his funeral procession.

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Flanked by top officials, Mr Khamenei prayed over the coffins of the dead, who included Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. Mourners filled the open space around Tehran University, where the prayers were held, before the funeral procession moved on to Enghelab and Azadi squares.

State television said Mr Raisi, who had been widely seen as Mr Khamenei's most likely successor as supreme leader, received a "millionfold farewell" from the people of Tehran.

"We have lost a prominent personality," Mr Khamenei told visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. "He was a very good brother. He was an efficient, competent, sincere and serious official." Palestinian militant group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh joined the procession, as did Lebanese militant group Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem. "I say once again... we are sure that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its support for the Palestinian people," Haniyeh told the crowd to chants of "death to Israel".