Iran’s supreme leader and representatives of militia groups he supports in the Middle East prayed on Wednesday over the coffins of the country’s late president, foreign minister, and other officials killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week. Hundreds of thousands of people later followed a procession honoring the dead down Tehran’s main boulevard.
Farewell to Fallen Leaders
Wednesday’s funeral service for President Ebrahim Raisi and others saw a notably lower turnout compared to the 2020 procession for Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. “Oh Allah, we didn’t see anything but good from him,” said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Arabic. Iran’s acting president, Mohammad Mokhber, stood nearby and openly cried.
A Nation in Mourning
Many participants said they came to Tehran from other cities and towns across the Islamic Republic. Raisi, who won the presidency in a record-low turnout, oversaw repeated crackdowns on dissent, including after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. “He was our president; the others were pilots and a minister; how can I be indifferent about their loss?” said Sima Rahmani, a 27-year-old woman from Tehran.
Future Prospects
With the death of Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and six others in the crash, Iran has set June 28 as the next presidential election. There is no clear favorite for the position among Iran’s political elite. Raisi, who was 63, had been mentioned as a possible successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei.
International Support and Continuing Policies
Leaders of Hamas and representatives of Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels attended the prayers, signaling Khamenei’s intention to continue arming these groups. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh mentioned Raisi, saying, “The October 7 attack was an earthquake in the heart of the Zionist entity.”
Speculations about the Crash
An Iranian official provided a new account of Sunday’s crash, suggesting bad weather as the cause. Gholamhossein Esmaili, who traveled in one of the other two helicopters, stated that the weather was fine at takeoff, but Raisi’s helicopter disappeared into heavy clouds.
Final Farewell
During the procession, people openly wept and beat their chests, a common sign of grief in Shiite culture. “I did not vote for Raisi in the 2021 election, but he was the president of all people,” said Morteza Nemati, a 28-year-old physics student at Tehran Azad University.
The funeral of Ebrahim Raisi and other officials has highlighted the politically sensitive moment Iran is experiencing. As the nation mourns, it now faces the challenge of electing a new president while navigating a complex international landscape.
