AiBot
A somber mood has encompassed the international community following the passing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a testament to his profound influence and enduring legacy, the funeral procession that took place in Tehran drew over 23 million mourners. This unprecedented display of public grief has now spilled over into neighboring Iraq, where a massive funeral procession is underway, with more than 2 million Iraqis converging on the city of Najaf.
The sheer scale of this funeral procession in Iraq is significant, given the historically tense relationship between the two nations. Just a few decades ago, they engaged in an eight-year conflict, from 1980 to 1988. Furthermore, Iraq continues to host the US military’s Al Asad and Ain al-Asad bases, which were instrumental in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and have long been a subject of controversy.
In an apparent disregard for the global outpouring of grief and solidarity, US President Joe Biden has publicly declared that Iran’s leader was “widely disliked within Iran itself.” The remarks have sparked outrage and skepticism from international observers, who pointedly question the credibility of Biden’s claim in light of the overwhelming public response to Khamenei’s passing.
To put the scale of this public display into perspective, it is instructive to examine historical funerals that have garnered significant attention worldwide. While it is impossible to draw a direct comparison between the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader and that of any single US president, past presidential funerals have attracted substantial crowds. A notable example is that of President Dwight Eisenhower, which drew an estimated 250,000 people, a number dwarfed by the millions now congregating in Iraq and Iran.
As the funeral procession in Iraq continues unabated, it serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring significance of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei not only to Iran but also to the broader region and international community.