Iran: Mourners flood Tehran as Qasem Solemani's remains return

Crowd held portraits of Soleimani, seen as hero of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war

Tehran: A tide of mourners flooded the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sunday, weeping and beating their chests in homage to top general Qasem Soleimani who was killed in a US strike in Baghdad. "Death to America," they chanted as they packed the streets and filled a long bridge spanning a river in the southwestern city, where Soleimani's remains arrived from Iraq before dawn. As Shiite chants resonated in the air, mourners held portraits of Soleimani, seen as a hero of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and for spearheading Iran's Middle East operations as commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force.

Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on Friday near Baghdad airport, shocking the Islamic republic. He was 62. The attack was ordered by President Donald Trump, who said the Quds commander had been planning an "imminent" attack on US diplomats and American forces in Iraq. Thousands of mourners dressed in black were seen gathered in Ahvaz in a live broadcast on state television.

The channel showed crowds in Mollavi Square with flags in green, white and red — depicting the blood of "martyrs". A glorious crowd is at the ceremony," said state television. "The presence of children, teenagers, relatives, veterans, families of martyrs of (the Iran-Iraq war) and defenders of Haram (those martyred in Syria) is a glimpse of the glory of this ceremony," it added.

Iraq to expel US Troops

Iraq's parliament voted to expel the US military from the country. Lawmakers voted on Sunday in favour of a resolution that calls for ending foreign military presence in the country. The resolution's aim is to withdraw some 5,000 US troops present in different parts of Iraq.

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