Thousands of mourners have assembled in the Iranian capital, Tehran, to pay their respects at a memorial service for the late Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. The procession is set to commence at Tehran University and proceed towards Azadi Square, as reported by the Iranian news agency.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is slated to lead prayers for Haniyeh today, as confirmed by Iranian state media. The nation has declared three days of public mourning to honor the departed leader.
Live coverage of the service depicted a sea of mourners gathered to hear from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's Speaker of the Parliament. The crowd was visibly emotional, with many waving Palestinian and Iranian flags, along with the yellow flag of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group.
Haniyeh's final resting place will be in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where he will be laid to rest on Friday, as announced by Hamas. Prior to his tragic assassination, Haniyeh had been residing in Doha, where Hamas maintained a political office.