Key facts
- Iran is holding mass funeral events for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes.
- The government is mobilizing large crowds for these events, portraying them as a display of unity and defiance.
- Despite the large turnouts, analysts and some officials suggest the crowds do not represent widespread popular endorsement of the regime.
- Many attendees cited religious duty or a desire to witness history as their motivation, rather than political support.
- The country's economy is severely impacted by war and sanctions, fueling public discontent and past protests.
- The successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has remained out of public view, with authorities citing security concerns.
Iran is observing a week of state funeral ceremonies for its recently deceased Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes. The government has mobilized large crowds for mourning events, marches, and demonstrations across the country, aiming to project unity and defiance to both foreign adversaries and domestic critics. Authorities have facilitated attendance with discounted transport, food, and lodging.
However, analysts and even some senior Iranian officials caution that the large turnouts do not necessarily translate to popular endorsement of the theocratic rule. Many attendees interviewed by Reuters stated they were present out of religious duty or a desire to witness a significant historical event, rather than to express political allegiance to the regime. Experts estimate the core base of ideological support for the Islamic Republic to be around 15-20% of the population.
The delay in Khamenei's burial, from his death on February 28 until this week, was attributed to the ongoing war, but also allowed authorities to meticulously plan the state occasion. This marks the first public commemoration of a supreme leader's death since 1989, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was buried amid high ideological fervor. The current events are also the first public commemorations since the conclusion of a war where U.S. President Donald Trump had issued threats against Iran.
The country's economy is struggling under the weight of war and years of sanctions, leading to high inflation and a depreciating currency that erodes wages. This economic hardship has previously fueled mass protests, which later evolved into demands for the end of the theocratic state and were suppressed by security forces. Some citizens expressed anger at the economic situation, viewing the funeral events as a "staged show" and prioritizing people's suffering over state ceremonies. The successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has remained out of public view since his father's death, with authorities citing security concerns and recovery from injuries.