Key facts
- Iran used specific Quranic verses during funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to signal the status of attending nations.
- Over 70 countries sent representatives to the commemorations.
- Verses for groups aligned with Iran's resistance narrative, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, emphasized martyrdom and victory.
- Verses for state partners like Russia and China focused on reassurance and righteousness.
- Saudi Arabia received a verse interpreted as diplomatic praise for its support.
- Iran's embassy in Armenia criticized Donald Trump's remarks about the funeral turnout.
Iran's funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei served as a platform for 'funeral diplomacy,' with the selection of Quranic verses aimed at signaling the country's perception of its allies and rivals. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that representatives from over 70 countries attended the commemorations, describing it as a 'historic commemoration' attended by friendly Arab nations. This event was framed as an 'everlasting memory in the course of our shared relations.'
When the Saudi delegation paid respects, the Quranic verse recited was Ali Imran 3:13, referencing the Battle of Badr. This was interpreted as a potential nod to shared history or a subtle message regarding Saudi Arabia's alignment with the US during recent regional conflicts. More than 30 delegations attended the funeral, which Iran used to demonstrate its resilience and international standing, countering perceptions of isolation.
The verses chosen for different groups reflected Iran's hierarchy of ideological kinship and strategic partnerships. Groups such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Houthis, Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi, and the Taliban received verses emphasizing martyrdom, unbroken pledges, and victory, underscoring their shared place in Iran's 'axis of victory.' State allies including Russia, China, India, and Egypt received verses focused on righteousness, reassurance, and reward, signaling thanks for their support without necessarily enlisting them into Iran's direct resistance narrative. Qatar, Turkey, and Pakistan were placed in an intermediate category, welcomed but not fully embraced as part of the resistance camp.
In response to remarks by Donald Trump, Iran's embassy in Armenia posted on X that 'People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace.' The post added, 'You don’t understand these things because you have neither civilisation, nor history, nor honour.' Trump had reportedly told Axios he was shocked by the funeral turnout, having expected the late leader to be widely unpopular.