Soleimani funeral: Daughter warns of 'dark day' for US
January 6, 2020
Huge crowds gathered in the Iranian capital Tehran for the funeral of General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by US airstrikes. His daughter issued a threat to US soldiers in the Middle East.
Image: AFP
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Iran: Qassem Soleimani funeral — in pictures
Thousands of Iranians gathered on Monday to mourn the death of General Qassem Soleimani in a US airstrike at the largest funeral Tehran has seen for thirty years. Iran's Supreme leader vowed "severe revenge" on the US.
Image: AFP/A. Kenare
Coffin passed through the crowd
The coffin of slain general Qassem Soleimani was passed among the crowd in Tehran, allowing them a chance to touch the sarcophagus. The remains of the general, killed by US airstrikes in Baghdad, were flown back to Tehran on Monday. Crowds chanted "Death to America!" and "Revenge! Revenge!"
Image: AFP/Office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah weeps
Supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei burst into tears while he led a prayer over the coffin of the general. Khameini called for "severe revenge" on the US. Soleimani's replacement as Quds leader, Esmail Qaani, right, also showed emotion on the same day as he called for a complete withdrawal of US troops from the region.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Iran Press TV
Biggest funeral since 1989
While Iranian state TV placed the number of mourners at over one million, outside estimates believe that the number was actually less. Nevertheless, this is largest funeral Iran has seen since that of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989.
Image: AFP
A popular leader
Soleimani was a popular military leader whose death has been met by open grief by many within the Iranian military. An unnamed Quds general lay and wept over his coffin. Soleimani spearheaded military operations in the area.
Image: AFP/Office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Soleimani's daughter: a 'dark day' for the US
The general's daughter, Zeinab Soleimani, spoke during the funeral procession, calling for the US to remove all troops from Iran. She said a "dark day" was to come for the US. "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she said.
Image: AFP/Office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
'We're all Soleimani'
Soleimani was a national hero to many Iranians, even those who did not consider themselves devoted followers of Iran's clerical rulers. Soleimani's death has united Iranian people across the religious and political spectrum.
Image: Reuters/WANA/N. Tabatabaee
A military 'hero'
Crowds with Iranian flags gather in front of a large image of Soleimani being awarded the Order of Zolfaghar, the highest military honor in Iran. Soleimani has been heralded as a military "hero." Streets were brought to a standstill because of the number of mourners.
Image: AFP/A. Kenare
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Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered for the funeral of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on Monday, three days after he was killed by US airstrikes in Iraq.
"The families of US soldiers in the Middle East will spend their days waiting for the death of their children," said Zainab Soleimani, daughter of the slain general, on state TV.
"Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she added. She warned that the US and their ally Israel faced a "dark day" in response to his death.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni led prayers in the funeral, at one point bursting into tears over Soleimani's coffin. He was flanked by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Soleimani's replacement as Quds commander, Esmail Qaani.
'Death to America!'
"We promise to continue martyr Soleimani's path with the same force [...] and the only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region," Qaani told state radio ahead of the funeral.
Assembled crowds yelled "Death to America!" and "Revenge! Revenge!" according to state TV. Soleimani's coffin was passed across the heads of the assembled crowd.
Iranian state TV put the crowd numbers at "millions," although external source could not verify this.
Soleimani's remains were flown in to the capital for the prayers and official ceremony at Masumeh shrine, ahead of a smaller funeral on Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman.
Comparison of US and Iran defense spending
Escalating crisis
Iran's goal of removing US troops from the region was given backing by Iraq after they voted on Sunday to oust US troops from their country.
