Iran readies for funeral of late President Raisi, foreign minister, and other officials

Iran Prepares to Bury Late President Raisi at Holiest Shiite Site

Iran is gearing up to inter its late president, Ebrahim Raisi, at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, the holiest site for Shiite Muslims in the Islamic Republic. This final act of respect comes after Raisi, along with the country’s foreign minister and six others, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash earlier this week.

The burial ceremony for Raisi, a protege of Iran’s supreme leader, has been marked by days of processions across the country. However, the services have not attracted the same level of public turnout as those held for Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, who was slain by a US drone strike in Baghdad.

Raisi’s presidency was marked by a harsh crackdown on dissent, particularly following protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. The government’s handling of these issues, as well as Iran’s struggling economy, have not been widely discussed in state media coverage of Raisi’s funeral.

Despite warnings from prosecutors against celebrating Raisi’s death, thousands of mourners in black gathered in Birjand, Raisi’s hometown, to pay their respects. Raisi will be the first top politician in Iran to be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine, a significant honor for the cleric.

The death of Raisi, who was seen as a possible successor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, comes at a politically sensitive time for the country. With the upcoming presidential election on June 28, the political landscape in Iran remains uncertain, with no clear favorite emerging among the political elite.