Huge numbers of black-clad mourners have turned
out to pay their final respects to Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani
ahead of his burial.
Iranians estimated in their millions have already
turned out in recent days for his funeral procession.
His body has now arrived in his hometown of
Kerman, where he is being buried on Tuesday morning.
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in
Iraq on Friday, on the orders of President Donald Trump.
The killing brought fears that long-standing
tensions between the US and Iran could spiral into conflict.
Soleimani was widely considered the second most
powerful man in the Iran behind Supreme Leader Khamenei. The US saw him as a
terrorist.
In
other developments:
The US has reportedly denied a visa for Iranian
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to visit the UN in New York later this week. Such
a move would apparently breach an agreement guaranteeing foreign officials
access to the UN headquarters
Germany is withdrawing a small number of soldiers
stationed in Iraq as part of the coalition fighting Islamic State
The US denied it was pulling out of Iraq, after a
letter from a US general suggested there would be a withdrawal
Iranian parliamentarians have approved a motion
designating the US Army and the Pentagon as terrorist organisations, Iran's
Tasnim news agency reports
In Kerman, south-eastern Iran, vast numbers of
people were again seen in the streets with Soleimani's body due to be buried
shortly.
"He was seen as a great man who was ready to
serve his people... He must certainly be avenged," an 18-year-old student
who was there told the AFP news agency.
On Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers at
Soleimani's funeral in Tehran, at one point weeping over his coffin.
Unconfirmed estimates from Iranian state
television put the number who took to the streets of Iran's capital alone as
"millions". The crowds were large enough they could be seen in
satellite images.
Who
was Qasem Soleimani?
Soleimani was head of the Quds force, tasked with
advancing Iran's Islamic revolution abroad. He was killed leaving Baghdad
airport on Friday.
In his homeland, Soleimani was hailed as a
national hero.
But he was also hardliner and a dominant force in
a state that shot dead scores of protesters at the end of 2019.
Soleimani supported Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad in the country's civil conflict, aided the Shia militant group
Hezbollah in Lebanon, and guided Iraqi militia groups against the Islamic State
group.
Justifying the strike President Trump said
Soleimani was plotting "imminent" attacks on US diplomats and
military personnel.
What
has happened since his death?
Immediately after his death Iran threatened
retaliation and officials have kept up the rhetoric. The leader of Iran's
Revolutionary Guard on Tuesday threatened to "set ablaze" places
supported by the US.
On Sunday, Iran declared it would no longer abide
by any of the restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal. The deal limited
Iranian nuclear capacities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
Following warnings from Iran, Mr Trump said that
the US would respond in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death,
"perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
Trump administration officials though have contradicted
the US president on his controversial threat to target Iranian cultural sites.
Such acts could be considered war crimes and
Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said "we will follow the laws of armed
conflict".
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