'Islam lost a great asset, Iran a great commander'

"Iran mourns the loss of a great national hero, a man who fought against tyranny and colonialism," Rouhani wrote adding the soul of the great man of revolution and politics, the symbol of patience and resistance, has been ascended to heaven.

"It is very difficult for me to speak about Hashemi, whom I was always with; he was a full-fledged revolutionary figure during national protests against Shah regime under the leadership of Imam Khomeini; years of imprisonment and torture could not separate him from his causes; he's always been one of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution; Rafsanjani never left his Imam alone from Qom to Najaf and from Paris to Tehran; Hashemi was the leading architecture of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Constitution, Parliament, the Assembly of Experts, Expediency Council, the Islamic Republic party, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Jihad and all institutions of the Islamic Revolution owe this man for his tact and foresight, the message reads.

Rouhani underlined in his message that Hashemi was never afraid of war but always cherished peace; he was both the brave commander of fields of jihad and martyrdom and the hero in talks to end war; "speaking of a great man who is rightly the underlying rocks of Islamic Revolution is not easy; he was Imam Khomeini's privy and the unmatched helper of Leader; he had great dreams for Iran and Iranians, he fighted for the glory of the Islamic homeland during his lifetime, he was loyal and against any deviation from the path of Islamic moderation."

Iranian president declared three days of public mourning and announced Tuesday (January 10) as public holiday following the passing away of former president and the Chairman of the country’s Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, old friend of Imam Khomeini and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

The statement also invited Iranian nation to show massive participation at funeral procession of Ayatollah Rafsanjani.

Ayatollah Rafsanjani died on Sunday at the age of 82 due to a heart attack in a hospital in Tehran.

Funeral procession for Rafsanjani will be held on Tuesday morning.

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