Zakiah Shirafkan

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic regime in Iran, Ali Khamenei, called the people’s participation in Ebrahim Raisi’s mourning ceremony an “epic,” while hardliners, as usual, deemed it a referendum on the regime’s legitimacy. But how organic and natural are the crowds at such events?
Mohsen Hesam Mazaheri, a prominent religious scholar, who recently attended the anniversary ceremony of Khomeini for research purposes, revealed that these crowds are usually highly organized. They predominantly consist of individuals from rural areas and impoverished sectors, with this year’s ceremony notably featuring a significant number of Afghan attendees.

Some might argue that the participants are motivated by love for Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, or loyalty to the regime. In contrast, opponents might reduce their motives to the allure of free meals.

However, this researcher believes that these participants often view their attendance as a free recreational trip, a notion clearly reflected in their behavior. They attend with family and friends, and their actions often resemble those of picnickers, with children playing and splashing around in nearby water. In the Islamic Republic’s state media, however, these gatherings are portrayed in a vastly different light.