The leader paid a visit to the late president’s home on Wednesday night, meeting with his family members. The Leader had earlier today held Raeisi’s grandchildren in his arms at the start of the funeral ceremony at Tehran University campus. 
Speaking to the family of the late president, Ayatollah Khamenei considered the late president to be the symbol of the motto of the Islamic Revolution.
He further described the people’s love for the late President Raeisi as “a message to the world that would benefit the Islamic Republic.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the loss of Mr. Raeisi as a great and irreparable loss for the country.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the participation of people at the President’s funeral, which must have been seen by the foreign guests visiting Tehran for his funeral, describing the huge crowds as a message to the world in favor of the Islamic Republic.
The Leader further described the massive crowds participating in the funerals as showing the Islamic Republic’s popular origins and its strength. He also said that the power and strength of he Islamic Republic is deeply rooted in the Iranian society and nation.
At the end of his meeting with Raeisi’s family, Ayatollah Khamenei asked God Almighty for patience to the family members over the great loss and forgiveness for the late president.
The meeting with the family members came after on Wednesday morning, Ayatollah Khamenei led funeral prayers for the late President Raeisi and his entourage including foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran.
Raeisi and Amir-Abdollahian, along with two top officials of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan, and four other people on board the helicopter were returning from a dam inauguration ceremony on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan when the aircraft crashed into forests in Varzaqan region.
MNA/6117510