Reza Pahlavi’s Message to Foreign Delegations: Iran Is Not Mourning Khamenei
As dozens of foreign delegations attended the funeral and burial ceremony of Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Reza Pahlavi, a prince and opposition figure to the Islamic Republic, issued a sharp message to representatives of attending nations, calling the ceremony a “propaganda spectacle” by the government and emphasizing that the Iranian people are not mourning Khamenei. His remarks were published as international media reported that no leaders from Western democratic countries attended the ceremony, and the composition of foreign guests consisted mainly of officials from aligned or regional countries.
As the official funeral and burial ceremony of Ali Khamenei began in Tehran with delegations from dozens of countries in attendance, Reza Pahlavi posted a message through his official Telegram channel, addressing foreign representatives participating in the ceremony:
“To the foreign representatives who have traveled to Tehran for the burial of the former dictator of the Islamic Republic;
Iran is not mourning Khamenei. Iran is grieving more than 40,000 men and women who were massacred on the 18th and 19th of Dey at the hands of Khamenei, Qalibaf, and their repressive apparatus. The regime spent enormous sums of the Iranian people’s wealth to stage this propaganda spectacle, yet not a single leader from democratic countries attended it.
What you see today is not a nation mourning its ruler; rather, it is a nation filled with righteous anger, and this very anger and heroic courage will bring down whatever remains of this criminal regime.”
Reza Pahlavi’s statements reflect a position that has simultaneously been highlighted by some international media outlets. The Times of India reported on the message, noting that Reza Pahlavi described the government’s funeral ceremony as a “propaganda spectacle” and emphasized: “Iran mourns the 40,000 killed at the hands of Khamenei, not him.”
Meanwhile, reports published by international media indicate that although officials and delegations from over 30 to 100 countries (according to varying figures from Iranian and international sources) attended the Tehran ceremony, no leaders from Western democratic countries participated. Most foreign guests consisted of officials from Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and several other regional countries or political allies of the Islamic Republic.
Reuters also reported that the Iranian government sought to present an image of cohesion and public support following the death of the former Islamic Republic leader by organizing an extensive ceremony; however, the news agency noted that it remains unclear to what extent these gatherings reflect the views of all segments of Iranian society, particularly given the history of widespread anti-government protests in recent years.
The Guardian, while describing the atmosphere of the ceremony, reported that the government presented the event as a symbol of national unity; however, it emphasized that not all Iranians participated in the ceremony and a significant portion of society remains dissatisfied with the economic situation, political restrictions, and repressions of recent years.
Reza Pahlavi’s message in this context is an attempt to convey to the foreign delegations present in Tehran that, in his view, the government’s official ceremony does not necessarily reflect the sentiments of a large segment of Iranian society—a topic that has simultaneously become one of the central points of discussion regarding Ali Khamenei’s burial ceremony in international media coverage.
