Iran has buried its longest-serving leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with hundreds of thousands of mourners attending the funeral procession in Tehran. The government claimed over 10 million mourners attended funeral events, although an independent assessment of the numbers is almost impossible.
Anger and Vengeance
The funeral events were highly emotional, with many calling for revenge against the US. "We have come here to avenge the blood of our leader, and not for one second will we put this aside," a young woman named Mahtab Ehsani told CNN. The call for vengeance was also made by officials, with Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying that the week’s events were "not merely a farewell ceremony and mourning, but… a call for vengeance for that beloved figure, signed by millions of grieving mourners."
The US has been a target of anger in Iran, with many blaming the country for the death of their leader. The US had launched airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for Iranian strikes on civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has led to a sense of tired resignation among many in Iran, with the country struggling with economic hardships and a lack of trust in the US.
Economic Hardships
Iran is currently struggling with unemployment of around 8%, according to the UN, and inflation that is running at over 40%, according to the World Bank. The country’s economy has been hit hard by US-led sanctions, which have been relaxed and then reimposed over the years. The government’s monthslong internet shutdown has also strangled parts of the economy, especially those with foreign clients.
Despite the economic hardships, many in Iran are opposed to negotiating with the US. Relaxing punishing American-led sanctions is central to any negotiated deal with the US, but some would choose the dire economic hardships over a deal with the US. "I’m criticizing the authorities of my own country," Tayyebeh Sadat, a government worker from Tehran, told CNN. "When they were supposed to give the right response to those people overseas, they didn’t do so. Negotiations were against the will of the nation."
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
