Large crowds turned out in the hometown of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani for his burial on Tuesday, a day after an enormous funeral procession was held in the capital of Tehran.
Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Friday. In response, Iran pledged “severe revenge.”
Iranian state TV reported that the crowds in the city of Kerman were set to be as large as those in Tehran, with thousands of people lining the streets as his coffin arrived in the town.
Mourners lined the streets, many wearing black, holding pictures of the slain general. Soleimani has been viewed as a “national hero” by many Iranians. People traveled from many parts of Iran to the general’s hometown to pay their respects.
Speaking to crowds in Kerman, Hossein Salami, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, threatened to “set ablaze” any places supported by the US.
“The martyr Qassem Soleimani is more powerful now that he is dead,” he added while addressing crowds. “The enemy killed him unjustly.”
“Our will is firm,” he proclaimed. “We also tell our enemies that we will take revenge, and that if they [attack us] we will set fire to what they love,” he told the sea of black-clad mourners. “Expelling the United State from the region has already begun.”
The gathered crowds responded “Death to Israel!” His words mirrored those of other top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Some also chanted “Death to America!” and “Death to Trump!”
Soleimani’s remains, along with those of the others killed in the US airstrike, were initially brought to the central square of the desert city of Kerman.
“The security of the whole world, Muslims, Shiites, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and especially Iran, all owe it to him,” mourner Hemmat Dehghan told AFP news agency.
“Haj Qassem was not only loved in Kerman, or Iran, but also the whole world,” he added. Trump and other US allies maintain that Soleimani caused a great deal of pain and suffering throughout the Middle East.
His killing has prompted a crisis in the Middle East. Iran officially announced their withdrawal from the nuclear deal which limited their nuclear capacity and the Iraqi parliament voted to remove all US troops from Iraq.
European countries have urged de-escalation in the region.
Soleimani will be buried later on Tuesday.