Tehran bid farewell to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation, who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash.

The crash occurred on Sunday as the officials were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on Iran's border with the Azerbaijan Republic.

The bodies of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials arrived in Tehran, where they were bid farewell in a solemn funeral attended by officials and crowds of Iranian people. Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei led prayers over the bodies at Tehran University.

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, offered condolences on behalf of the Palestinian people during the funeral ceremony, emphasizing Raisi's commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause and resistance.

The funeral procession also made stops in Qom, Tabriz, and Tehran before the final destination in Mashhad, where the officials will be laid to rest next to the shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Mousa al-Rida.

The tragic incident prompted an outpouring of condolences from around the world, with Sayyed Khamenei extending his sympathies to the Iranian people over the "martyrdom-like" passing of President Raisi and his delegation.

In response to the loss, Mohammad Mokhbar was appointed as Iran’s acting president, with Ali Bagheri Kani assuming the duties of acting minister of foreign affairs. The Three Powers Committee in Iran agreed to hold presidential elections on June 28, followed by the appointment of a new president on July 8.

The crash has left Iran in mourning and has led to an outpouring of support from both domestic and international communities, as investigations into the cause of the tragedy continue. (ILKHA)