Iranians bid final farewell to late leader

Beijing envoy believes Teheran will prevail over temporary difficulties

Iranians on Thursday bid the final farewell to late president Ebrahim Raisi at the holiest site for Shiite Muslims in the Islamic Republic, in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city.

Raisi, 63, died on Sunday alongside his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others when their helicopter crashed in the country's mountainous northwest.

Raisi's coffin was flown to Mashhad, in northeast Iran, after a funeral procession was held for him on Thursday morning in the eastern city of Birjand, the departed leader's hometown located in South Khorasan Province along the Afghan border. Thousands paid their respects as the coffin was driven through the streets in a motorcade.