Srinagar, May 22 (KNS): Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad on Thursday, four days after he was killed in a helicopter crash along with foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six other people.

Reports said that Raisi's coffin was flown to Mashhad in northeast Iran after a funeral procession was held for him today morning in the eastern city of Birjand, where thousands paid their respects as his remains were driven through the streets in a motorcade.

A guard of honour stood to attention as the plane carrying Raisi's coffin arrived in Mashhad, his hometown, where he will be laid to rest at the gold-domed Imam Reza shrine, the holiest Islamic site in Iran and revered by Shia Muslims as the resting place of the 9th century Imam Ali al-Reza.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Eight passengers and crew were killed when the helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.

A ceremony was held to commemorate Amirabdollahian at the foreign ministry in Tehran, where acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani described him as a martyr who had "guaranteed the revolutionary nature of the foreign ministry".

Amirabdollahian will be buried south of Tehran in the Shah Abdolazim shrine, a mausoleum where notable Iranian politicians and artists are buried.

Iran announced five days of mourning for Raisi, while the presidential election has been scheduled for June 28. (KNS)