At the funeral, Haniyeh delivered a short speech on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Resistance groups, and he said that Gaza will continue to resist until the liberation of Palestine.
The head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to attend the funeral of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Haniyeh led a delegation from the Palestinian Resistance movement’s leadership to offer condolences for the tragic loss.
High-ranking army generals, leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and representatives of regional resistance groups, including the Lebanese Resistance movement Hezbollah, attended the procession as Iranian leaders mourned Raisi, 63, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
The funeral ceremony on Wednesday was one of several planned before Raisi’s burial in Mashhad on Thursday. Attendees included Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.
The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also attended the funeral, as reported by the Qatar News Agency.
A Lebanese delegation including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib traveled to Tehran to offer condolences, as reported by the Lebanese National News Agency.
Representatives from China, Pakistan, and other nations were expected to arrive later on Wednesday.
The funeral procession of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their companions in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/iDyiaihFPf
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 22, 2024
Haniyeh’s Speech
At the funeral, Haniyeh delivered a short speech on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Resistance groups, where he said that Gaza will continue to resist until the liberation of Palestine.
Below is the full speech, as communicated via the Resistance News Network Telegram channel and published here in its original form.
“We have come today on behalf of our Palestinian people, on behalf of the factions on the land of Palestine, and on behalf of proud Gaza to offer our condolences,” Haniyeh said.
“The late president affirmed to us that the Palestinian cause is central to the nation’s causes and that resistance is a strategic option for the liberation project.
“The late president assured us that Iran will continue to support the Palestinian resistance until the aspirations of the people and the nation are achieved.
“The late president told us that the Al-Aqsa Flood is an earthquake that struck the Zionist entity, and that it brought a historic shift on a global level.
“From here, we affirm that Gaza will continue the resistance until the liberation of all the land, with blessed Al-Quds at its heart.
“In the presence of the leaders of the Axis of Resistance, we are reassured that the Republic will continue its policies and principles under the guidance of its leader in supporting Palestine and the resistance.”
Head of the political bureau of #Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, gives a speech during the funeral procession of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their companions, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
"We have come today on behalf of… pic.twitter.com/zbVq6r0Lfz
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 22, 2024
Tragedy in Iran
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have tragically died in a helicopter crash in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan, Iranian media reported.
The helicopter, carrying President Raisi and his delegation, crashed on Sunday in the Dizmar forest, located between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa, in the East Azarbaijan Province.
The crash claimed the lives of Reisi, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, the Friday Prayers leader of Tabriz, Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, and a member of the president’s bodyguard team, Mehdi Mousavi.
The helicopter’s pilot, co-pilot, and crew were also on board.
After locating the helicopter on Monday morning, Iran’s Red Crescent Society (IRCS) issued a preliminary statement noting that there was “no sign of life” found near the wreckage locations, according to the Lebanese news network Al-Mayadeen.
Tragedy in Iran – President, Foreign Minister Found Dead following Helicopter Crash
This announcement comes over 16 hours after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps reported they had lost contact with the helicopter carrying the officials.
At least 73 rapid response and rescue teams from the provinces of East Azarbaijan, Tehran, Alborz, Ardabil, Zanjan, and West Azarbaijan were involved in the search and rescue operations led by the IRCS.
Additionally, countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Russia participated in the search and rescue efforts in the province.
According to Iranian state media, the President’s helicopter crashed against a mountaintop in the Varzaqan region on Sunday while returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
