Ebrahim Raisi, the late president of Iran, was buried on Thursday in a tomb at the holy shrine of Iman Reza.
The shrine is considered the holiest site in Muslim-majority Iran.
Raisi’s burial ceremony was attended by thousands of mourners who thronged the streets to pay their last respects to the leader.
The 63-year-old died on Tuesday alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian when the chopper they were traveling in crashed in the country’s mountainous northern region.
Six other people also lost their lives in the helicopter crash.
Raisi was seen by many as a possible candidate to replace Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The 85-year-old Khamenei is the most powerful person in the country.
Mohammad Mokber is the New Iranian Acting President
Clad mostly in black clothing, the mourners at the funeral service beat their chests and heads as signs of their sorrow. This is a common practice in Shiite mourning traditions.
As a vehicle carrying Raisi’s body moved down a street, mourners could be seen reaching out to touch it while others gently threw scarves and flowers at it seeking a blessing.
The Imam Reza holy shrine, where the late president’s remains were interred, is also the resting place of Imam Ali al-reza, a 9th-century Islamic scholar.
Despite this show of public mourning, some sections of the Iranian society celebrated their president’s death.
Some Iranians developed a dislike for the late politician in 2022 after his security forces conducted brutal crackdowns on crowds who were protesting the Mahsa Amini. Amini died in police custody after getting arrested for allegedly not wearing the mandatory headscarf that women in the country are required to have in public.
There have been images on social media showing people in the country sharing sweets after hearing that Raisi had died.
Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei named Vice President Mohammad Mokber as acting president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The 68-year-old has largely played his role behind the scenes until his immediate boss’s death thrust him into the limelight.
Mokber will serve in the capacity for 50 days before formal elections are held in the country.
