Qasem Soleimani: Mourners fill Tehran streets for funeral

Mourners have filled the streets of the Iranian capital for the funeral of military commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike last week.

Soleimani was hailed as a national hero in Iran, and widely viewed as the second most powerful person in the country after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

He was killed on Friday in an attack in the Iraqi capital Baghdad ordered by US President Donald Trump.

The killing has sparked concerns of a wider conflict, with Iran vowing "severe revenge".

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Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran for the funeral of 62-year-old Soleimani, who headed the elite Quds Force and was tasked with protecting and boosting Iran's influence in the Middle East.

Many mourners held up photos of Soleimani, with some even wearing clothes bearing his image.

The coffins of Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who also died in the US strike in Baghdad, were passed over the heads of mourners.

Supreme Leader Khamenei was joined by top political and military figures in Iran in paying respects to the commander.

Here, Mr Khamenei (centre) stands alongside Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (third from left) and other officials next to Soleimani's coffin.

Mr Khamenei wept as he read a prayer.

Esmail Ghaani, who has replaced Soleimani as the commander of the Quds Force, kissed the coffins of those killed in the drone strike.

The streets were filled with smoke as mourners burned incense during the funeral procession.

Some people set fire to US and Israeli flags.

Others carried mock coffins decorated with the flags of the two countries, and pictures of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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