Behind Khamenei’s funeral, Iran’s bid to show strength • FRANCE 24 English

Let's get more analysis. Dr. Ahu Kuchus-Fahani joins us, a scholar of international relations and Iran.

Thank you very much for being with us, Doctor. It's great to have you here at France 24. Tell us, what is the significance of what we've been seeing unfolding in Iran with the days-long funeral of the late supreme leader?

Well, I mean, it's significant in the sense that, of course, as the report just suggested, it's a show of strength. But there are two different messages that the regime is trying to send. There's one message it's trying to send to its own people inside the country, and another one for international and global audiences.

The message to its own people wants to emphasize the control it has over them. And so, after years of peaceful resistance and protest, which has only ever been met with brutality, this procession marks an effort to double down on the political strength and ideology of the Islamic Republic. When it comes to the message that it wants to send outwards, there is this strong insistence to develop a narrative around Khamenei as a sort of an anti-imperialist leader who stood up against the world's bullies.

This is a much more palatable narrative that is sold to global audiences in order to raise Khamenei's profile internationally and for the Islamic Republic to gain international support. The narrative within Iran, though, of the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might be somewhat different, might it not? What has happened since February the 28th, though, perhaps given the Iranian regime the possibility of somehow redefining itself?

Maybe that's a bit of a reach, but it's certainly emboldened them and given them more of a case to say, it's us against the rest of the world, it's us against the imperialists, it's us against the West. Do you think that has led to so many people coming out for this funeral, or do you think they've all been forced to be there? Certainly, I'm not saying they're all forced to be there.

He does have, the Islamic Republic does have support. But you need to remember this is a country of 90 million people. So, of course, he has, you know, some support for sure, at least if you even take 10% of the population, that means 9 million.

So, I mean, for sure, the images that come out of what, you know, the procession that we see are striking. But there is that side of the narrative that's being dominant right now, because what we also see on Iranian social media is people fleeing Tehran to the north, as they do for every sort of religious or Islamic Republic, you know, national procession, as they flee, I mean, flee, they move out of the city as a sign of, you know, I guess, discontent, of course, but I wouldn't say protest, just, just, you know, a brazen attempt to say that, you know, they're against this. But that side doesn't get seen as much.

And so that's what I meant with the narrative being pushed by the Islamic Republic. I mean, of course, this, the memorial for Khamenei is a great attempt to show the Islamic Republic's, as I said, strength, both internally and globally. Dr.

Kuchistani, be very clear about that narrative idea. And I'm picking up clearly what you're saying, that this represents these images. They're not faked, they represent what is happening, but it is just a slice of what is happening.

As you say, it is an image that they want to portray, and there may be other things going on across the country. Can I talk a bit more about the legacy of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Clearly, Iran changed under his rule, changed for the worse?

Well, I mean, history can tell us, right? So Khamenei, as the most important figure within the Islamic Republic for 37 years, had, he oversaw the creation and the maintenance of the institutional structures that have kept the Islamic Republic in place, as long as it has existed. So therefore, again, going back to what we're seeing right now, his killing can be seen as having afforded him the status of martyrdom, which is the highest status you can achieve in Shia Islam.

So this ultimately emboldens his successors to want to avenge him, as the reports have also shown. So if, you know, there's one side that's this, but the other side, we see, I mean, a clear divide among the leadership exists in Iran today after Khamenei's death. You know, while he was alive, he managed to consolidate power.

But now it's a different story. And so there is a push for diplomacy, coupled with and at times, even at odds with the IRGC, which holds the military power. So I think the question here is whether the continuous bombing by the U.S. is going to strengthen the resolve again to like consolidate the different strands of Iranian political leadership today, or it might also be the case that it will further divide the leadership since Khamenei is gone.

But of course, in any case, I want to make it clear that bombing Iran is never going to bring about peace nor stability for the region. Dr. Kuchus Fahani, thank you so much for joining us here, France 24.

We really appreciate your time. Dr. Ahu Kuchus Fahani, scholar of international relations and Iran.

Thanks once again.