Photo: Reuters

Tens of thousands of Iranians have turned out in the capital Tehran for the funeral of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the BBC reports.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will perform prayers at the ceremony, which is being held at Tehran University.

Mr Rafsanjani, president from 1989 to 1997, died of a heart attack on Sunday at the age of 82.

Three days of official mourning began on Monday.

The former president will be buried next to Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

Armenian Parliament’s Vice-Speaker Edward Sharmazanov is also attending the funeral.