Iran bade farewell to its former leader Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani with a massive state funeral on Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of the capital Tehran, to pay their final respects.

Rafsanjani died from a heart attack on Sunday at age 82.

He was president of Iran from 1989 to 1997 and his policies helped improve the country's relations with the west.

Iran announced three days of mourning and Tuesday was declared a public holiday.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led the funeral prayers.

Rafsanjani will be buried inside the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

TRT World'sAmin Darban is following the story from Tehran.

TRT World'sSoraya Lennie discusses what impact the former president's death will have on Iran.