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| Thousands of Iranians mourn former president Rafsanjani | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of mourners have flooded the streets of Tehran for the funeral service of the late Iranian leader Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died at the weekend at the age of 82. | Hundreds of thousands of mourners have flooded the streets of Tehran for the funeral service of the late Iranian leader Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died at the weekend at the age of 82. |
| Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held prayers by Rafsanjani’s casket during the service at Tehran University on Tuesday, as other dignitaries knelt before the coffin. | Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held prayers by Rafsanjani’s casket during the service at Tehran University on Tuesday, as other dignitaries knelt before the coffin. |
| Also on hand was President Hassan Rouhani, whose moderate administration led the recent nuclear negotiations with world powers. Rouhani, who is all but certain to run for re-election in May, is viewed as embodying Rafsanjani’s realist vision. | Also on hand was President Hassan Rouhani, whose moderate administration led the recent nuclear negotiations with world powers. Rouhani, who is all but certain to run for re-election in May, is viewed as embodying Rafsanjani’s realist vision. |
| Hardliners also took part in the ceremony on Tuesday, which was a public holiday across the country. Mourners carried posters bearing Rafsanjani’s image. | Hardliners also took part in the ceremony on Tuesday, which was a public holiday across the country. Mourners carried posters bearing Rafsanjani’s image. |
| “I rarely attend religious ceremonies, but I am here as an Iranian who cannot forget Rafsanjani’s contribution to developing [a] political sphere in favour of people in recent years,” said Nima Sheikhi, a computer teacher. | “I rarely attend religious ceremonies, but I am here as an Iranian who cannot forget Rafsanjani’s contribution to developing [a] political sphere in favour of people in recent years,” said Nima Sheikhi, a computer teacher. |
| Later, Rafsanjani’s casket was slowly driven through the streets to the shrine of the late supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini. There, he will be buried beside the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the rule of the American-backed shah. | Later, Rafsanjani’s casket was slowly driven through the streets to the shrine of the late supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini. There, he will be buried beside the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the rule of the American-backed shah. |
| Rafsanjani, a close aide to both Khomeini and Khamenei, served as president from 1989 to 1997. | Rafsanjani, a close aide to both Khomeini and Khamenei, served as president from 1989 to 1997. |
| His life mirrored Iran’s modern history. He served as Khomeini’s right-hand man and led the military during the ruinous war with Iraq in the 1980s. He helped launch Iran’s nuclear programme and then pushed for reconciliation with the west. | His life mirrored Iran’s modern history. He served as Khomeini’s right-hand man and led the military during the ruinous war with Iraq in the 1980s. He helped launch Iran’s nuclear programme and then pushed for reconciliation with the west. |
| In the years after Khomeini’s death in 1989, Rafsanjani represented one of an ever-shrinking number of leaders directly tied to the Islamic Revolution. | In the years after Khomeini’s death in 1989, Rafsanjani represented one of an ever-shrinking number of leaders directly tied to the Islamic Revolution. |
| Internally, however, his legacy remains mixed. He was extremely wealthy and a veteran at manoeuvring within Iran’s opaque political system. | |
| It was felt that he protected moderates, but many reformers distrusted him because he was an insider and because of accusations he was involved in killing dissidents during his eight-year presidency. Hardliners distrusted him because of his support for moderates, but he was too powerful and entrenched for them to sideline him. |