Shariatmadari to attend Mandela funeral procession, official

Tehran, Dec 10, IRNA – Vice-President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Shariatmadari is to participate in the funeral procession of the former South African president Nelson Mandela, it was announced here on Tuesday. Senior official at Presidential Office Mohsen Bahrami told IRNA that the office is making preparation for the trip of vice-president to Conakry. Some 50 world leaders are to attend the funeral procession of the father of modern South Africa, who died at age of 95 on December 5, slated for December 15. Mandela became symbol of the fight against racial discrimination in South Africa and served 27 years behind bars for defying the apartheid government.