Tens of thousands of Iranians have turned out for the funeral of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in Tehran.<br /><br /> The 82-year-old died of a heart attack on Sunday.<br /><br /> He was president from 1989 to 1997.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Who is leading the ceremony?<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will perform prayers at the ceremony.<br /><br /> It is being held at Tehran University.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Official mourning<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Three days of official mourning got underway on Monday.<br /><br /> The former president will be interred next to Iran’s revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Political overtones<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> The funeral is being seen as a show of force by reformists and moderates. <br /><br /> Analysts say Mr Rafsanjani was a figurehead for them in recent years.<br /><br /> His death, ahead of May’s presidential elections, is a blow to moderate president Hassan Rouhani.<br /><br /> He allied himself with Rafsanjani to win the 2013 election and went on to resolve Iran’s long standoff with the West on Tehran’s nuclear programme.<br /><br /> However, hardliners are also expected to attend the service in large numbers.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> WATCH<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Tens of thousands throng the streets of Tehran for Rafsanjani funeral:<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> At Rafsanjani's funeral in Tehran now the pro-reform crowd is chanting:<br />“The will of Hashemi (is)<br />Supporting Khatami” pic.twitter.com/KyCU8APu5r— Negar نگار (@NegarMortazavi) January 10, 2017<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> People chanting the name of the leader of #Iran’s green movement at #Rafsanjani’s funeral. #MirHousain pic.twitter.com/i3uIAAxJvh— Bahman Kalbasi (@BahmanKalbasi) January 10, 2017<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> READ<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> The world reacts to the death of the former Iranian leader:<br /><br /> World reacts to death of former Iranian leader Rafsanjani. https://t.co/ZNcRl2UI8W— The Associated Press (@AP) January 9, 2017<br />
