Tehran, Iran - In a display of international solidarity, high-ranking officials from at least 68 countries attended a ceremony in Tehran to pay respects to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions who were killed in a helicopter crash over the weekend.
The ceremony was held following a massive funeral procession that drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of Tehran. The crash, which occurred on Sunday due to inclement weather conditions, also claimed the life of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony were several heads of state, including Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Other notable attendees included President Kais Saied of Tunisia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon.
The ceremony also saw the presence of several parliament speakers and foreign ministers from around the world, including those from Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Uzbekistan. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also attended the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was also present at the ceremony and held a meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the sidelines.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with authorities ordering a thorough probe into the incident. The funeral procession is set to continue, with President Raisi to be laid to rest in the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian to be buried at the Shah Abdul Azim shrine in southern Tehran.
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