Leader Pays Tribute to Martyred Firemen

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei praised the firefighters who recently lost their lives when a blazing high-rise collapsed in downtown Tehran. The Leader issued a message on Sunday ahead of a funeral procession in Tehran on Monday for the martyred firefighters, which drew a large gathering of mourning people.  Ayatollah Khamenei said the firefighters ventured into the burning building to save the lives and property of their fellow countrymen and sacrificed their lives for this purpose, Press TV reported.  He stated that the firefighters once again revived the memories of the sacrifices made by Iranian soldiers during the Iraq-imposed war on Iran in the 1980s. The Leader emphasized that these firefighters showed that a faithful Iranian possesses a firm and exemplary determination to fulfill his duty and will not hesitate to offer his life on the path of God. The iconic Plasco building came down and killed a number of people, including 16 firefighters, after fire engulfed the top floors of the 17-story building on January 19.