Ebrahim Raisi: New President, Top Officials In Tears As Fallen Leader’s Body Arrives In Tehran

• Tens of thousands of Tehran residents turned out to bid farewell to the late President Ebrahim Raisi
• The bodies of the deceased, including Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, arrived at Mehrabad International Airport, draped in Iranian flags
• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and new president Mohammad Mokhber welcomed the deceased, with Khamenei declaring a five-day mourning period
• An emotional moment was captured as Mokhber was seen tearing up beside Khamenei, and other top government officials were seen expressing their emotions

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Tehran - Tens of thousands of Tehran residents have turned out to bid farewell to their late President, Ebrahim Raisi.

The deceased president's body, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials killed in a helicopter crash on May 19 arrived at the country's Mehrabad International Airport on Tuesday, May 21.

They were draped in Iranian flags with pictures of the deceased on them, while Raisi's coffin had a black turban on it to mark his alleged direct descent from Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who declared a five-day mourning period, and new president Mohammad Mokhber lined up to welcome the deceased.

The soldiers marched with the bodies on their shoulders as top officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the most powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces, paid their respects.

An emotional moment was captured at the airport as Mokhber was seen tearing up beside Khamenei.

Other top government officials could also be seen letting out their emotions as some kissed the president's coffin.

How did Iran's supreme leader mourn Raisi

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his deepest condolences, describing the fallen leader as a hardworking and competent people's president.

"With deep sorrow and regret, I have received the bitter news of the martyrdom of the people’s President, the competent, hard-working Haj Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi, and his esteemed entourage," he said.

Additionally, he revealed that Raisi faced numerous challenges during his time due to ungratefulness and mocking from ill-intentioned individuals.

"For him, the well-being and satisfaction of the people, which was a sign of God’s satisfaction, took precedence over everything else, and the hurt he suffered due to the ingratitude and taunts of some ill-wishers didn’t deter him from his continuous efforts for progress and improvement," he added.

What you need to know about Ebrahim Raisi's chopper crash

• President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials were returning from a ceremony for the opening of a dam at the country's border when their chopper crashed.
• Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the rescue operation took too long due to fog and bad weather conditions.
• A video has surfaced showing Raisi engaged in conversation with another senior official aboard the plane before its tragic descent.
• According to Article 131 of the Islamic Republic's constitution, a council comprising the first vice president, the speaker of parliament, and the head of the judiciary must organise a presidential election within a maximum of 50 days.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke