TEHRAN– Thousands of Iranian citizens poured into the streets of the capital Tehran on Thursday to attend the funeral ceremony of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political bureau chief who was assassinated by Israel in the early hours of Wednesday on Iranian territory. 

People from all walks of life began walking to the University of Tehran in the center of the capital, where the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was set to lead the funeral prayer over Haniyeh’s body. The Palestinian leader was targeted inside his temporary residence in northern Tehran by a projectile, according to Hamas. 

As Ayatollah Khamenei led the prayer, high-ranking Iranian officials and military leaders stood in attendance, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was seen shedding tears during the prayer. Haniyeh had traveled to Iran to attend Pezeshkian’s inauguration ceremony. 

Iranians flocking to the streets, however, talked to reporters with anger and assertiveness, asking Iranian armed forces to “teach Israel a proper reason.” 
“Authorities need to understand that we expect a proper response – a response that would make Israel regret what it did. Something even more fierce than Operation True Promise. These Zionists just don’t care about international law whatsoever. We need to put them in their place with force,” said a young female citizen while speaking to reporters. 

Other people attending the funeral in scorching heat seemed to be of the same mind, as they swayed flags of Palestine, Hezbollah, and Hamas in the air. Mourners also held aloft copies of the Thursday edition of Tehran Times whose front page promised that Haniyeh's blood would not be "trampled."
  
"Israelis just don't understand how much guests matter in Iranian culture," declared a 62-year-old man while holding his granddaughter in his arms and shielding her from the glaring sun with his hand. "We will not let this slip by. Israel will be taught a lesson, and the Iranian populace will make sure of that."

Haniyeh was transferred to Doha, Qatar after his funeral ended in Tehran.