Various heads of state and officials from various countries arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, to attend the memorial event of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led funeral prayers at the memorial ceremony. Five days of national mourning were declared.
Guests from Arab countries included Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani in addition to Turkey’s vice president and foreign minister. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani, had left Doha for Tehran to take part in the funeral procession while Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali al-Yahya, attended the funeral on behalf of Kuwait’s Emir.
Egypt sent its foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, while India had sent its deputy prime minister. Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri left Beirut to attend. The head of the Russian Duma was also present.
Additionally, representatives of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Taliban have also travelled to Tehran for the procession.
Crowds of tens of thousands proceeded to walk from Enghelab (Revolution) Square to Azadi (Freedom) Square, where the streets were completely filled with people, with heavy security measures, including various security checkpoints.
The caskets of Raisi, who was 63, and the seven others who died in the crash on Sunday, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, were draped in Iranian flags with their pictures on them.
Iranian media reported that in addition to closing cinemas, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has also halted all cultural and artistic activities across the country, including concerts, for seven days.
All Cultural Heritage Week events have been postponed, museums closed, all sports competitions suspended, wedding halls closed and wedding ceremonies postponed.
