A number of Iranian mourners have died in a stampede during a funeral procession for a top general killed in a US strike, forcing his burial to be postponed, state-affiliated media reported.
"A number of citizens who were taking part in the funeral procession were injured and a number lost their lives," the head of the country's emergency services, Pirhossein Koolivand, told the channel.
AFP correspondents in the city of Kerman said the streets of the southeastern city were packed with mourners for the funeral of Republican Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in his hometown.
More than 50 people were killed and 212 people injured in the stampede, semi-official news agency ISNA said, citing officials in the southeastern city.
Thousands of Iranians take to the streets to mourn the death of commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani. Source: AAP
Iranians had gathered in Kerman for the burial of top general Qasem Soleimani in the final stage of funeral processions
Iran’s ISNA news agency said the burial of Soleimani had been postponed, but did not say how long any delay would last.
The massive number of mourners in the hometown of the slain commander of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm appeared to match the huge turnout seen in the cities of Tehran, Qom, Mashhad and Ahvaz.
A hugely popular figure in the Islamic republic, Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport on Friday in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with arch-enemy Iran which has vowed "severe revenge".
"The enemy killed him unjustly," the Revolutionary Guards' top commander, Major General Hossein Salami said, adding the process of "expelling the United States from the region has begun".
"Our will is firm. We also tell our enemies that we will take revenge and that if they (strike again) we will set fire to what they love," he told the sea of black-clad mourners.
"They themselves know well what places I am talking about."
Schoolgirls joined chants of "Death to Trump" from the crowd, according to AFP.
Mourners gather to pay their respects to the slain Soleimani in his hometown. Source: Iran Press
The assassination of Soleimani set off an escalating war of words between Iran and the United States.
In Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani warned Mr Trump to "never threaten" Iran, after the US leader issued a US strike list of 52 targets in the Islamic republic.
On Tuesday, Iranian politicians voted to designate all US forces around the world "terrorists" over Soleimani's killing.
Parliament also agreed to bolster the coffers of the Quds Force, which Soleimani led, by $244 million (200 million euros).
'Boils the blood'
In Kerman, people converged from afar on Azadi Square where two flag-draped coffins were on display, with the second one reportedly containing the remains of Soleimani's closest aide, Brigadier General Hossein Pourjafari.
"We're here today to pay respects to the great commander of the holy defence," said one of the mourners who came from the southern city of Shiraz to attend the funeral in Kerman.
"Haj Qasem was not only loved in Kerman, or Iran, but also the whole world," Hemmat Dehghan told AFP.
"The security of the whole world, Muslims, Shiites, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and especially Iran, all owe it to him," said the 56-year-old war veteran.
Another mourner said Soleimi's assassination "boils the blood of the Iranian people".
"He was seen as a great man who was ready to serve his people both then in the war and now. He must certainly be avenged," said Sara Khaksar, an 18-year-old student.
Friday's assassination of the 62-year-old Soleimani heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile Middle East.
After the Soleimani assassination last January, Tehran abandoned its commitments to the nuclear deal. Source: AAP
Iraq's parliament has demanded the government expel the 5,200 American troops stationed in the country in response to the drone attack which also killed top Iraqi military figure Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Baghdad requested in a letter to the UN the Security Council condemn the US strike so that "the law of the jungle" is not allowed to prevail.
The operation represented "a dangerous escalation that could lead to a devastating war in Iraq, the region and the world," wrote Iraq's UN ambassador Mohammed Hussein Bahr-Aluloom.
