Iranians today paid tribute to President Ebrahim Raisi, whose funeral started in Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan province where he was killed on Sunday in the crash of the helicopter he was riding in.

A large crowd has gathered in a central square in Tabriz to attend the funeral ceremony.

See live picture from Tabriz:

Iranians mourn martyrdom of President Raeisi, his foreign minister, others in helicopter crash#PeoplesPresident https://t.co/WrIxJBhKm4

— Press TV ? (@PressTV) May 21, 2024

The president’s helicopter was returning to Tabriz, in northwestern Iran, from the border with Azerbaijan, where Raisi had attended a ceremony to inaugurate a dam with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

Search and rescue operations began on Sunday afternoon when the two other helicopters accompanying him lost contact with the president’s helicopter due to adverse weather conditions in the steep and forested area.

State television announced his death yesterday, Monday morning, stating that “the servant of the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, has reached the highest level of martyrdom” while broadcasting photos of the late president while a voice could be heard reciting the Quran.

Iran’s chief of general staff of the armed forces Mohammad Bayeri yesterday called for an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Bodies of President Raeisi, companions being carried in funeral procession in Tabriz for transfer to Qom #PeoplesPresident pic.twitter.com/qdMaIQb6mh

— Press TV ? (@PressTV) May 21, 2024

Many countries expressed their condolences.

In Iran, rallies were held in various cities to pay tribute to Raisi, who was killed along with eight other people on board the same helicopter. Among them were Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdolahian, officials of the province of East Azerbaijan and the head of his security team.

In Tehran, thousands of people, holding portraits of Raisi, gathered yesterday at Valiashr Square in the city centre.

National mourning:

تصاویری از پیکر و تابوت شهید رئیسی#شهید_جمهور pic.twitter.com/xZOs9cuC77

— خبرگزاری تسنیم ?? (@Tasnimnews_Fa) May 21, 2024

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared a five-day mourning period in the country and appointed the first vice-president, 68-year-old Mohammad Mohaber, as caretaker president until presidential elections are held on 28 June.

Ali Bayeri, a key negotiator in the talks on Iran’s nuclear programme who was Amirabdolahian’s deputy, was appointed caretaker foreign minister.

After Tabriz, Raisi’s body will be transferred later today to the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, before leaving for the capital.

Ayatollah Khamenei is expected to lead the prayers at the funeral service scheduled for this evening in Tehran, with processions to follow the next morning.

Raisi’s body will be transferred on Thursday morning to South Khorasan province and then to his hometown of Mashhad, where he will be buried on Thursday evening.

The 63-year-old ultraconservative Raisi was considered one of the favourites to succeed the 85-year-old Khamenei.

He had been in office since 2021 and had succeeded moderate President Hassan Rohani.

Palestinian Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah and Syria – Tehran’s allies – paid tribute to the late president yesterday.

The war in Gaza has exacerbated tensions in the region and Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on April 13 with 350 drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted with the help of the US and other allied countries.

The attack was launched in response to the air strike attributed to Israel that destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

In a speech shortly before his death, Raisi reiterated Iran’s support for the Palestinians. Yesterday, Palestinian flags were flown alongside Iranian flags in mourning ceremonies for Raisi.