in Iran, the rallies after the death of Ebrahim Raïssi denounced by opponents

Iranian state media shows thousands of mourners paying tribute to the head of state killed in the helicopter crash.

Start of five days of funerals in Iran, after the death of President Ebrahim Raïssi. Before crossing the entire country, the funeral procession sets off on Tuesday May 21 from Tabriz, close to the site of the crash of the presidential helicopter on Sunday evening. He will pass through Qom and Tehran on Wednesday, before burial in his hometown of Mashhad, in the east of the country, on Thursday.

Tens of thousands of people have already gathered in several squares in the country’s large cities to say goodbye to the Iranian president and wait for the procession to pass. This procession also has the appearance of a propaganda operation.

On Iranian state television channels, images of impressive crowds are playing on a loop. Women and men gathered to pay tribute to Ebrahim Raïssi.

In front of the microphones, everyone praises her, like this resident of Tehran, who testifies with tears in her eyes: “He was a man of God, a fervent and relentless man. He spent his days working for the smooth running of the country’s affairs And he died a martyr. We are sad for ourselves, because we will no longer have lucky to have him by our side”; she assures.

The funeral procession will now travel nearly 2000 km across the country. Three days during which the regime wants to show that the Iranian people are united. A vast media manipulation, according to an opponent who remains anonymous. “It’s just propaganda: they take people who are often very poor, and they pay them to swell the ranks. In my entourage, I hardly know anyone who is going to go there. It’s only the extremists who are truly in mourning. In the streets, people are happy.”

“We are oppressed by this regime, so every time someone dies, we are happy!”

An Iranian on condition of anonymity

at franceinfo

A huge crowd is expected Thursday for the funeral of Ebrahim Raïssi, as a welcome show of force for the regime. The death of the head of state at the age of 63 opens a period of political uncertainty in Iran, at a time when the Middle East is shaken by the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas, an ally of the Islamic Republic. His sudden death will lead to a presidential election which will have to be organized “within 50 days“. It will take place on June 28, according to state television. In the meantime, it is the first vice-president Mohammad Mokhber, a shadowy 68-year-old man, who will assume the functions of interim president.