Protests Erupt Across Iran As Khamenei’s Funeral Charade Concludes – OpEd |
Regime’s funeral for Ali Khamenei fails as propaganda: The massive, state-orchestrated ceremonies were heavily coerced (threats to employees and aid recipients) and exposed factional infighting, rather than projecting unity or legitimizing Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession.
Protests resume immediately after mourning period: Diverse groups (retirees, workers, students, pensioners, etc.) took to the streets in multiple cities, protesting economic hardship, inflation, corruption, executions, and the regime’s warmongering foreign policy.
Political demands target the regime’s core: Slogans such as “Our rights are only won on the streets,” “Stop the warmongering, our tables are empty,” and calls to free imprisoned workers/teachers show grievances go beyond economics to challenge the dictatorship itself.
Four months after the death of Ali Khamenei, the Iranian regime orchestrated a massive, state-sponsored funeral procession designed to project an image of power, unity, and stability to both domestic and international audiences. The regime desperately needed a political and security maneuver to mask its profound vulnerabilities following the massive nationwide uprisings earlier in the year.
However, this prolonged spectacle proved to be nothing but an empty facade. The moment the state-mandated mourning ended, the true face of Iran re-emerged on the streets. The immediate resurgence of nationwide protests—driven by severe economic grievances and explicit political demands—proves that the regime’s expensive propaganda and........