Behind the funeral: Khamenei’s coffin becomes stage for Iran’s wounded power

As Ali Khamenei's coffin is paraded through the streets amid state-orchestrated mourning, Iran's leaders are using the event to redefine a wartime death that has left the country wounded and distrustful. They aim to recast it into a symbol of martyrdom and continuity, hoping to bolster the regime's power and repair its fractured authority. This period of mourning underscores the regime's struggle to maintain control and legitimacy in the wake of internal strife and external pressures. The implications are significant, hinting at deeper efforts to stabilize and unify the nation under a single, powerful narrative.