Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, conducted funeral prayers for the late President Hassan Rouhani and others who perished in a helicopter crash.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held a funeral service in Tehran for the late President Hassan Rouhani and others who died in a helicopter crash. The service was attended by proxy militias and high-ranking officials.
Khamenei led the prayers at the Mosalla Imam Khomeini, a vast prayer ground in the capital. Thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects to the deceased and express their condolences to their families.
Rouhani, 71, died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer. He was the seventh president of Iran and served two terms from 2013 to 2021. Rouhani was a key figure in the negotiation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.
The helicopter crash occurred on Wednesday in southern Iran, killing the pilot and eight passengers, including senior members of the Iranian Armed Forces. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Khamenei praised Rouhani for his service to the country, calling him a "loyal servant of the nation." He also expressed his condolences to the families of the crash victims and prayed for their souls to rest in peace.
Proxy militias, which operate under the umbrella of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were also present at the funeral service. These groups have played a significant role in Iran's regional conflicts, particularly in Syria and Iraq.
The presence of these militias at the service highlighted the close relationship between Iran's religious and military establishments. The IRGC wields significant political and economic power in Iran and has been sanctioned by the United States for its role in supporting terrorism.
The funeral service was a solemn event that brought together Iran's political, military, and religious leaders to mourn the loss of President Rouhani and the other crash victims. It also served as a reminder of Iran's complex and multifaceted society, where the lines between religion, politics, and military power are often intertwined.
