Crowds gather ahead of Iranian PresidentEbrahim Raisi funeral | BBC News

Large crowds have started to gather in Iran's capitalTehran for the main funeral ceremony for the country's late President Ebrahim Raisi.

Mr Raisi died alongside Foreign Minister HosseinAmir-Abdollahian and six others in a helicopter crash_on Sunday, and five days of national mourning have been declared.

The ceremony will begin with Iran's Supreme Leader,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leading prayers in the capital,before coffins draped in the Iranian flag will be takeninto the city's main Azadi square.

Footage carried by state TV showed streets filled withmourners, many of whom were carrying pictures of MrRaisi or the Iranian flag, while authorities have warnedagainst demonstrations against the funeral procession and insults posted online.