Ayatollah Khamenei Funeral: The people of Iran were seen wearing black clothing to mourn the death of their Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. At a time when the country is holding a week-long state funeral for Khamenei, the ceremony has also sparked criticism from several Iranians. They are raising questions over the scale of public spending and questioning the actual attendance numbers.
Critics have also argued the authorities used the grand event to project political power, ignoring the Iran’s ongoing economic hardships.
On Monday, a sea of mourners, dressing up in black, were seen flooding into Tehran to attend the procession as part of the funeral. Iranians were heard calling for the death of United States President Donald Trump.
Tehran Funeral Video Sparks Social Media Debate Over Attendance
As per a report by Iran International, images and funeral from the main funeral ceremony which was held in Tehran on Monday, prompted a massive debate on the internet. A section of Iranian citizens claimed that attendance of mourners was lower than expected despite major state mobilisation campaign.
The report mentioned that despite the Iranian government providing facilities such as free meals, public holidays, organised transport and forcing state employees to attend the ceremony, the venue still failed to fill up.
The backlash and criticism came as Iranian state media tried to portray the funeral ceremony of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a massive display of national unity.
Television broadcasting showed a sea of crowds lining the streets when the late supreme leader’s coffin was carried through the capital before being airlifted to the holy city of Qom.
Mourners dressed in black were seen reaching out to touch the coffin of their supreme leader, while volunteers sprayed water over the crowds to cool them down in the summer heat.
Roads Shut, Airspace Closed
Roads were shut, airspace was closed and normal public activities were also suspended for the mourning period.
The grand state funeral was started on Saturday and the ceremony will conclude with Khamenei’s burial at the Imam Reza shrine which is located in Mashhad.
It is to be noted that Mashhad was the birthplace of Ali Khamenei.
Mourners Demand Revenge Against US, Israel
Several mourners were seen chanting slogans against the US and Israel, calling for revenge against both the countries. Some of them were seen carrying banners calling for the deaths of Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Geopolitical Tensions Outweighed by Public Anger Over Funeral Costs
As the funeral ceremony takes place amid high political tensions between Iran and US, Iranian citizens’ anger is focused on the event’s cost. Several raised questions about why the Iranian government is spending so much public money on a grand state funeral while countrymen are struggling with high inflation and rising living costs.
Some Iranians pointed out that families have been forced to cut protein from their diets. They argued that the government’s lavish spending shows how disconnected leadership is from the struggles of common people.
The state funeral for Khamenei ends on Thursday with his burial alongside his family at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
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