On May 20, Iran officially announced the funeral schedule for President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials who died in the helicopter crash on May 19. According to the announcement from the Iranian National Funeral Organization, the ceremonies will span four days, from May 21 to May 24, taking place at several locations across the country.
The first memorial service will be held in the city of Tabriz, where the accident occurred, on the morning of May 21. The remains of the victims will then be transferred to the capital, Tehran. On May 22, an official visitation ceremony will take place at Tehran University, attended by senior state officials and diplomatic representatives from various countries. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is scheduled to deliver a speech at the event.
On May 23, a funeral procession will be held at the Haram of Imam Reza in Mashhad, the holiest site for Shia Muslims in Iran. Subsequently, President Raisi's body will be laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad, while the other officials will be buried in their respective hometowns. Supreme Leader Khamenei declared five days of national mourning, and all entertainment and sports activities have been postponed as a mark of respect.
The accident occurred when the helicopter carrying President Raisi and his delegation crashed into a mountainside near the Turkish border in thick fog. Iran mobilized rescue teams with assistance from Turkey and neighboring countries, but by May 20, it was confirmed that there were no survivors. The official cause of the crash has not yet been determined, though Iranian media has reported that adverse weather conditions are considered a primary factor.
