Iran readies to bury Raisi, Abdollahian, and six others killed in helicopter crash

Iran prepared on Thursday to lay its late president to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, the most sacred site for Shiite Muslims in the country. This final honor is for Ebrahim Raisi, who was a close associate of Iran’s supreme leader and died in a helicopter crash earlier this week.

Raisi’s burial concludes a series of processions across Iran meant to reinforce the theocracy following the crash that also killed the country’s foreign minister and six others. However, the turnout for these services has not matched the massive crowds that mourned Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in 2020.

The subdued public response may reflect the populace’s feelings toward Raisi’s presidency, which was marked by a harsh crackdown on dissent during the 2022 protests over Mahsa Amini’s death. Amini was detained for allegedly violating hijab rules. Additionally, Iran’s struggling economy and Raisi’s role in the mass execution of around 5,000 dissidents after the Iran-Iraq war have not been mentioned in state media coverage.

Authorities have warned against public celebrations of Raisi’s death, and heavy security has been observed in Tehran since the crash.

On Thursday morning, thousands of mourners dressed in black lined a main street in Birjand, Raisi’s hometown near the Afghan border. A semitruck carried his casket, with people reaching out to touch it and throwing scarves and other items for blessings. A sign on the truck read: “This is the shrine.”

Raisi will be interred at the Imam Reza Shrine, which is the burial site of Shiite Islam’s 8th imam and a significant pilgrimage destination. The shrine is managed by the Imam Reza charity foundation, one of many bonyads (charitable foundations) in Iran, which are known for their lack of financial transparency and report only to the supreme leader.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei appointed Raisi to head this foundation in 2016. The foundation is one of the largest in Iran, controlling vast assets, including nearly half the land in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city.

Raisi’s burial at the shrine marks a significant honor, making him the first top politician to receive this tribute.

Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and six others died in the helicopter crash at a politically sensitive time for Iran. Raisi, aged 63, was considered a potential successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei. Notably, none of Iran’s living former presidents, except Khamenei, appeared in the state television broadcast of Wednesday’s prayers, with no explanation given for their absence.

Iran has scheduled the next presidential election for June 28. Currently, there is no clear favorite among Iran’s political elite, especially no Shiite cleric like Raisi. Acting President Mohammad Mokhber, previously the first vice president, has stepped into Raisi’s role and attended a meeting between Khamenei and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday.