Behind Khamenei’s funeral, Iran’s bid to show strength

According to France 24, the funeral ceremonies for Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei are being read as a carefully staged show of strength by the Islamic Republic. Iran expert Ahou Koutchesfahani tells the outlet the regime is aiming two messages at once: to its own people, by demonstrating its control and its power to turn out huge crowds, and to the wider world, by casting Khamenei as an anti-imperialist figure who stood up to the United States. France 24 reports that through these ceremonies Tehran is also working to bolster its narrative and rally support beyond its own borders.

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