Over half a million dollars: Iranian citizens finance Khamenei’s funeral

Although Operation Roaring Hari did not cause the collapse of the Ayatollahs’ regime, its effects are still evident. Thus, for example, estimates hold that the Iranian GDP may decrease by 8.8%-10.4% as a result of the fighting and the blockade imposed by Trump on the Strait of Hormuz; Hari’s roar led to a jump from an annual inflation rate of 68.1% in February to 88.6% in June, according to the Iranian Bureau of Statistics; And no less serious than that, the Iranian currency continues to go from rejection to rejection – and stands at about 1.37 million Rials to the dollar. For the purpose of comparison, the conversion rate in February was about 1.31 million riyals to the dollar.

All this did not prevent the Ayatollah regime from spending a fortune on Khamenei’s funeral, of course at the expense of their citizens. It is not only the opponents of the Islamic Republic, but also its supporters: it was reported in the German “Walt” that the Iranian authorities are preparing for the possibility that 3,000-1,500 people will be killed during the week-long campaign.

Supporters shouted calls for revenge at the funeral procession, waving signs that read in English “Kill Trump” as well as “Kill Bibi”. In an article in the German newspaper that relies on the report of the Iranian Red Crescent, it was reported that a special unit was established to treat the dead and missing, while thousands of new graves were prepared in advance in a cemetery in Tehran.

Participation is mandatory

According to reports, many citizens, whether supporters of the regime or not, were forced to participate in the funeral procession. The opposition website “Iran International” reported that dozens of messages were received from locals, that authorities and institutions related to the state are putting pressure on labor organizations, businesses and charities to participate in events and close their businesses – or face fines.

The demands were varied, depending on the size of the businesses: a Tehran municipality employee said that vacations were canceled and employees were required to attend the funeral; In the human resources department in District 10 in the Iranian capital, all employees, including those in a serious medical condition, were ordered to come; The “Hamshahari” newspaper group received an order to provide 200 workers; And overtime of employees at the “Saife” car manufacturer was canceled, to make room in the company’s facilities to house about 2,000 mourners from Iraq.

There is no doubt that this is unusual behavior even in the terms of the Islamic Republic, but it is far from the record. Citizens told Iran International how much the state oppresses them, in favor of maintaining the extreme funeral. At the airport, the sale of flight tickets was prohibited for three days, and the shops there were required to close. In industrial areas in Tehran, companies were required to set up stands to supply food and drink to those coming to the events, at their own expense.

At the same time, companies were forced to “donate” to the funeral. Large companies such as car manufacturers were required to pay more than one trillion Rials (more than 570 thousand dollars) for setting up stands and supplying food for the funeral events. The large amount of money is directed to the show of power of the Ayatollah regime, while on the other hand the average monthly income stands at about 150 dollars – significantly less than the global poverty line which is estimated at 350 dollars per family.

Where is the heir?

Unlike the citizens, who are obliged to attend the funeral, Khamenei’s heir son, Mujtaba, who has not been seen in public since his father’s assassination, is not expected to participate in the ceremonies. The reason for this is the attempted assassination of him by Israel, which left him wounded, and some estimate that he is no longer among the living.

Benny Sabati, an expert on Iranian affairs at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), explains that in Iranian culture it is not good to be seen as a wounded or disabled leader. “They prefer to die and not show weakness. The question ‘where is the leader?’, especially at a funeral, may gnaw at the regime.

“Out of fear, they outwardly demonstrate feelings of revenge. In practice, the state of the country is in a bad state – and the whole event is questionable.”

Compared to Mujtaba, many delegations came to the event, including from Russia, Pakistan and the Gulf countries. The Pakistanis were the only ones who sent the country’s top leadership to Tehran, while regarding the concessions, the Iranians took care of settling accounts, and when the delegations stood in front of Ali Khamenei’s coffin, verses from the Koran about “traitors” were chanted.

A show for Americans

The mandatory participation, Sabati explains, is not valid for everyone. Those who can afford it, took advantage of the holiday week announced in the country to go on vacation to the shores of the Caspian Sea. On the other hand, at the level of the regime, he points out that the Iranians have a custom that the worse the situation, they externalize the “wealth”.

“At Khomeini’s funeral, it is evident that the mourning was spontaneous, whereas now everyone is standing in an orderly manner. People would not come, so they are organized. The events are divided into precincts, for fear of harming the officials. This is not a classic Iranian way, and the situation is completely staged. Everything is artificial.”

“There is a big gap between what the Iranians feel towards Ali Khamenei and the image that the regime wants to create,” says Dr. Meir Javdanfar from the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at Reichman University. “After the uprising in January, it is important for the regime to show that there are supporters at home. They are trying to create an image that many Iranians love Khamenei, who is a mythical martyr, a national hero and a hero of Islam. This is for negotiations with the Americans, that if you have killed our beloved leader – do not expect us to compromise.”