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Many Iranians felt Montazeri should have become the country's spiritual leader
Opposition websites in Iran say mourners at a funeral for the country’s most senior dissident cleric have clashed with security forces. It was reported that tens of thousands attended the ceremony.

Various opposition websites in Iran, reporting from the funeral of dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, say thousands of mourners attended Monday's service to pay their respects. Websites also reported sporadic clashes with security forces.

Rahesabz.net claims "ten of thousands of people" were present, while the Jaras website says hundreds of thousands attended. These reports could not be independently verified as foreign media were not permitted to travel to the northern city of Qom to cover the ceremony.

Jaras reported, "The present crowd in the procession has been estimated at hundreds of thousands of people and they were also shouting slogans in his support, and also in support of (opposition leader) Mirhossein Mousavi."