Massive crowds attend funeral processions as Suleimani’s body returned to Iran

Large crowds gathered across Iran on Sunday for a funeral ceremony for general Qassem Suleimani, the slain head of Iran’s elite Quds force. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► In the northeast city of Mashhad, mourners accompanied a casket carrying Suleimani’s remains. Earlier that day, his body had been taken to Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, a city that was a focus of fighting during the bloody, 1980-88 war between Iraq and Iran in which the general slowly grew to prominence. Iran threatened ’harsh retaliation’ for the US strike that killed the top military commander, and Trump has said the US would strike 52 sites in the Islamic Republic if any Americans are harmed. Trump vows to hit 52 sites ’very hard’ if Iran retaliates for Suleimani killing ► Support the Guardian ► Today in Focus podcast ► The Guardian YouTube network: The Guardian ► Guardian Football ► Guardian Sport ► Guardian Culture ►