By Tag Clar Editorial
The official mourning ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the slain leader of Iran, began in Tehran with the presence of thousands. On this day, a massive crowd with tearful eyes gathered at the Grand Mosalla to pay their respects to the leader who ruled Iran for over three decades.
A Demonstration to Show Power
This ceremony is seen as a show of power by the Islamic Republic against its opponents. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has called on the people to participate in this event to demonstrate "the greatness of Iran and the glory of national unity" to the world. Meanwhile, representatives from radical groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah were also present at the ceremony.
During the event, slogans such as "Death to America" and "Revenge, Revenge" could be heard, and many attendees held bloody flags. While residents of Tehran hoped for the presence of 15 to 20 million people at this event, the temperature approached 40 degrees Celsius, and water was sprayed on the crowd to cool them down.
One of the clerics present at the ceremony emotionally stated, "The leader was a father to us. With his death, we are all orphaned."
Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in recent attacks by American and Israeli forces, and this event has ushered Iran into a new and uncertain era. The mourning ceremony takes place while the war has not officially ended, and tensions between Iran and the West continue.
International organizations view this ceremony as a test to gauge the level of public support for the leadership of the Islamic Republic, especially after last year's widespread protests that faced severe repression, resulting in thousands of deaths according to human rights groups.
