In photos: Iranians mourn Qasem Soleimani
Mourners carry the coffin of Gen. Qasem Soleimani during a funeral procession in his hometown of Kerman, Iran, on Tuesday, January 7.
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In photos: Iranians mourn Qasem Soleimani

Updated 1754 GMT (0154 HKT) January 7, 2020

Mourners carry the coffin of Gen. Qasem Soleimani during a funeral procession in his hometown of Kerman, Iran, on Tuesday, January 7.
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Massive crowds have gathered in Iran this week to mourn Qasem Soleimani, the military leader who was killed in a US drone strike on January 3.

Soleimani was set to be buried Tuesday in his hometown of Kerman, Iran, but that was delayed after a stampede killed dozens of people at his funeral there, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

On Monday, crowds filled the streets of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to pay their respects to Soleimani and others who were killed in the drone strike.

US President Donald Trump said he authorized the strike against Soleimani because Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" on Americans. The Pentagon has blamed Soleimani and his Quds Force for attacks on coalition bases in Iraq in recent months, including the December 27 strike that culminated in the deaths of an American contractor and Iraqi personnel. The Trump administration has also blamed Soleimani for the December 31 US embassy attack in Baghdad, Iraq.

Relatives of victims that were caught in a stampede wait outside a hospital in Kerman on January 7.
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A portrait of Soleimani hangs outside a hospital where victims of the stampede were being treated.
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Relatives check a list of stampede victims at a hospital in Kerman.
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A vehicle carrying Soleimani's remains makes its way through a crowd in Kerman.
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Mourners view the funeral procession from a bridge in Kerman.
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The coffins of Soleimani and others killed in the US airstrike are carried on a truck during the final leg of the funeral procession on January 7.
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Mourners in Kerman wear scarves depicting Soleimani.
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Soleimani's funeral continued in the northeastern city of Qom on Monday, January 6.
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Thousands of mourners took part in a funeral procession in Tehran on January 6.
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Gen. Ismail Qaani — Soleimani's longtime lieutenant and his successor as the leader of the Quds Force — cries over Soleimani's coffin during the funeral on January 6.
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Mourners hold Soleimani posters during his funeral in Tehran.
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, fourth from left, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fifth from left, attend the funeral in Tehran.
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Solemani's daughter Zainab makes a speech during her father's funeral.
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Crowds fill the streets of Tehran during Soleimani's funeral procession.
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People carry placards and flags during the funeral procession.
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Revolutionary Guard members accompany the coffins.
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Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, third from right, attends Soleimani's funeral.
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Iranians set a US and an Israeli flag on fire during the funeral procession.
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