The crash also claimed the lives of Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six other individuals, including crew members.

The funeral procession began in Tabriz, from where the bodies of Raisi, 63, and Amirabdollahian, 60, will be transferred to Tehran for another ceremony. Prior to this, the bodies will be taken to Qom, a city of great religious significance in central Iran, for a ceremony on Tuesday.

The main ceremony in Tehran will occur on Wednesday, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expected to lead the prayers. This event will see the attendance of numerous foreign dignitaries. Subsequently, Reisi’s body will be taken to Mashhad, his birthplace and the country’s second-largest city, for a "glorious" burial planned by local organizers on Thursday.

In the aftermath of the crash, there has been an ongoing investigation into its cause. Serdar reported that there has been no indication of sabotage. The focus remains on the extreme weather conditions, including thick fog, challenging terrain, and potential technical issues with the helicopter.

The helicopter in question, a two-blade Bell 212 believed to be decades old, has raised concerns. Due to foreign sanctions imposed on Iran since the 1979 revolution, and further exacerbated by its nuclear program and support for the "axis of resistance," the country has faced significant challenges in obtaining aircraft parts or new aircraft. Questions have also been raised about the decision to allow the helicopter to take off in adverse weather conditions. (ILKHA)