Pictures speak louder: Raisi funeral turnout debunks Western claims
4 Min Read
Western media efforts have proven futile in their attempts to overlook or underreport the immense turnout and heartfelt tributes from Iranians to their late President.
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A panoramic image of Raisi's funeral (Tasnim)
Social media users worldwide have taken en masse to relevant platforms, refuting a Western media narrative suggesting a subdued response within Iran to the recent tragic loss of President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions.
Raisi, alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and others, tragically died in a helicopter crash on Sunday while en route to Tabriz. Following the accident, millions gathered for funeral processions all over Iran from Tabriz to Qom and Tehran.
Streets overflow: All Iranians unite in grief for Raisi
Since the initial reports of the tragic incident involving President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions, the Iranian people have been anxious, taking to the streets en masse. After the announcement of Raisi's death, footage showcased millions marching, mournful, paying heartfelt tribute, and chanting their support for what they regarded as a martyr of duty and a prominent leader. The scenes mirrored the profound impact of the loss on the Iranian nation.
Mainstream Western media outlets quickly reacted with a series of misreports and downplays, aiming to diminish the profound sorrow that engulfed Iran following the tragic incident. Meanwhile, social media users vehemently opposed the Western media's narrative, sharing photos and videos of the grieving nation flooding the streets to mourn their beloved President's passing.
Social media debunks Western media narrative on funeral procession attendance
X, along with various other platforms, has been buzzing with posts portraying the actual situation on the ground. Users, including journalists, activists, and eyewitnesses who participated in the nationwide funeral processions, have debunked the anti-Iranian narrative.
British independent journalist Richard Medhurst, who attended the processions, criticized the Western media campaign, labeling it as an attempt to spread falsehoods.
I’m at President Raisi’s funeral in Tehran. Millions of people are in the streets. President Putin and Ismail Haniyeh have also come to pay their respects. Whateve Western media told you about Raisi being “disliked” in Iran is a lie. His passing is a loss for the entire world. pic.twitter.com/iVXFTXD6hV
— Richard Medhurst (@richimedhurst) May 22, 2024
Researcher and author Denijal Jegic ridiculed the anti-Iranian campaign, suggesting that no Western political figure would garner such widespread public support.
I am in Tehran. Millions of people are on the streets, painfully mourning the martyrdom of President Raisi. Meanwhile Western mainstream media is telling you another story - but this is not surprising because no Western president or political leader would gather such support. https://t.co/70cQ6qLwxV pic.twitter.com/QnhMdR05P0
— Denijal Jegić || دانيال ياغِتش (@denijaljegic) May 22, 2024
On his part, Cleric Shaykh Azhar Nasser suggested that Western media outlets deliberately refrain from depicting the true extent of the public's reaction to Raisi's death, as it contradicts the narrative they aim to promote.
Even the most beloved western leader doesn’t get a funeral like this.
— Shaykh Azhar Nasser (@ShaykhAzhar) May 22, 2024
Western media outlets avoid broadcasting these funeral processions as they do not align with the narrative they seek to propagate. https://t.co/aO2ZxsRwSF
Geopolitical analyst and journalist Danny Haiphong joined the discussion, sharing a striking image of the funeral processions.
"No one will miss Raisi" - Western media and pro-West regime change monarchists.
— Danny Haiphong (@SpiritofHo) May 21, 2024
Actual Iranians at Raisi's funeral: pic.twitter.com/tsAqpC5WYR
A researcher and writer, known as Arya, dismissed anti-Iran media hype by sharing photos of funeral processions.
Today, we all have witnessed the retardness & low IQ of our enemies.
— Arya - آریا 🇮🇷🏴 (@AryJeay) May 22, 2024
Millions of Iranians marched in honor of the late Iranian president Raisi & his companions, out of love for their president, because he was a people’s person. But some still like to come up with the most… pic.twitter.com/MI4peRz41L
Mohamed al-Shami, a Yemeni scholar, criticized the inaccurate anti-Iran reports and shared video footage of the funeral procession in Qom.
I thought President Raisi was unpopular in Iran, based on Western media reports. I was wrong. Watch the massive crowds in Qom during the funeral ceremony of the president and his companions. 🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/mF2Oe1BO7c
— Mohamad Al Shami محمد الشامي 🇾🇪🇵🇸 (@mamashami) May 21, 2024
One social media user also highlighted a notable contradiction. "No leader is loved 100% by his people," the user remarked, emphasizing the sheer scale of public attendance at the funeral procession. The user asserted that while it's possible to coerce some individuals, the massive turnout on the streets for the procession speaks volumes.
The user criticized Western media for misinforming their audience, suggesting that Raisi's refusal to align with Western interests may have led to biased portrayals of his relationship with the Iranian people.
No leader is loved 100% by his people, you can force some people but you cannot force these many people to come out on the street for a funeral procession.
— Engr. Aliyu Jari (@Aliyujari) May 22, 2024
Western media misinform their audience Raisi was hated by his people because he refused to be a Western lackey https://t.co/92w60pfu44
Journalist Hassan Mafi pointed out an incident involving a German reporter who attempted to depict an empty street in Tehran during President Raisi's funeral procession. This act was seemingly aimed at suggesting that there was minimal attendance at the event.
A German journalist tried to film an empty street in Tehran and claimed that nobody was attending the funeral of Iran's President Raisi.
— Hassan Mafi (@thatdayin1992) May 22, 2024
Meanwhile, back in reality, this is Tehran: pic.twitter.com/WC2jlF6RYj
New Rules Geopolitics, an authority on international affairs, quoted University of Tehran Professor Mohammad Marandi as remarking, “This enormous display of national solidarity exploded Western regime change fantasies.”
🇮🇷 Western narrative about Iran crumbles in real time
— NewRulesGeopolitics (@NewRulesGeo) May 22, 2024
Millions of Iranians rallied across the country to pay their final respects to the late President Raisi. This enormous display of national solidarity exploded Western regime change fantasies, @s_m_marandi told the… pic.twitter.com/s9aU0TU9j5
Nadira Ali, writer and activist, shared a panoramic image of Raisi's funeral in Iran, stressing that Western media would never display such scenes.
The western media will never show you that nearly a million people have already attended the funeral of their late president, Ibrahim Raisi, and counting.......... pic.twitter.com/WQyN8azmmy
— Nadira Ali🇵🇸 (@Nadira_ali12) May 22, 2024
In short, Western media efforts have proven futile in their attempts to overlook or underreport the overwhelming display of support and reverence from the Iranian populace. Meanwhile, social media platforms and eyewitness accounts continue to shed light on the immense turnout and heartfelt tributes to the late President Ibrahim Raisi.
