Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Iran solemnly began the burial of its late President Ebrahim Raisi at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on Thursday, marking the final tribute to a close ally of the Supreme Leader who perished in a helicopter crash earlier this week. This event concluded days of nationwide processions aimed at reinforcing the country’s theocracy.
President Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six others, died in the crash, which occurred in a foggy, mountainous region. The funeral in Mashhad drew hundreds of thousands, many dressed in black and displaying traditional signs of Shiite mourning. A truck carried Raisi’s casket through the streets, with mourners reaching out for blessings.
Despite the large turnout, the crowds were noticeably smaller compared to those at the 2020 funeral of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike. This difference may reflect public sentiment towards Raisi’s presidency, marked by harsh crackdowns on dissent during the 2022 protests over Mahsa Amini’s death and a struggling economy.
State media and newspapers provided extensive coverage of the funeral while omitting Raisi’s controversial involvement in the mass execution of dissidents at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. The cause of the helicopter crash remains undisclosed, and prosecutors have warned against any public celebration of Raisi’s death, with heavy security observed in Tehran since the incident.
The funeral ceremonies began in Birjand, South Khorasan province, and continued in Mashhad. Raisi’s burial at the Imam Reza Shrine, where Shiite Islam’s 8th imam is interred, signifies a major honor. The shrine is managed by the Imam Reza charity foundation, a powerful conglomerate overseen by Iran’s supreme leader. Raisi, appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in 2016, had previously led this foundation.
Raisi’s death comes at a politically sensitive time, with the next presidential election set for June 28. His potential as a successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei added to the political implications of his untimely demise. Acting President Mohammad Mokhber, previously a relatively unknown figure, has assumed Raisi’s duties.
As Raisi’s body was interred, former Foreign Ministers Mohammed Javad Zarif and Ali Akbar Salehi, along with other dignitaries, paid their respects to the late Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian at the Foreign Ministry. Amirabdollahian’s body was later buried at the Abdol Azim shrine near Tehran, another significant site in Persian history.
In a poignant moment, a religious singer at Amirabdollahian’s burial invoked the memory of Gen. Soleimani, reflecting the intertwined fates of Iran’s prominent figures amid ongoing regional tensions.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
