The Islamic Republic’s funeral for Ali Khamenei has drawn criticism from a section of Iranians over attendance, the scale of state resources used for the ceremonies and what critics described as an attempt to project political strength. Much of the criticism focused on the contrast between the public spending on the funeral and the economic difficulties faced by ordinary Iranians amid the government’s claims of budget constraints.Many of the costs associated with the funeral were borne by the state, including nationwide public holidays, free 24-hour metro and bus services, the deployment of around 150,000 police and security personnel, and large-scale logistics, transport, sanitation and municipal services.The government also arranged accommodation for thousands of participants travelling from across Iran and, according to reports, from neighbouring countries, as cited by Iran News Update.The spending has drawn criticism as it comes at a time when the government has cited budget constraints to justify cuts in social spending.Several Iranians said their households had reduced or stopped consuming meat and other sources of protein because of rising living costs, arguing that the spending on the funeral was disconnected from the country’s economic conditions.Others said successive crises, including war, sanctions, regional isolation and economic decline, had not changed what they viewed as the government’s priority of funding state institutions and political messaging over public welfare, as cited by Iran International. No official estimate has been released for the total cost of the funeral and burial ceremonies.However, many social media posts and public comments sought to estimate the expenditure by citing the costs of security deployments, temporary infrastructure, transportation, accommodation, food distribution, ceremonial arrangements and construction work along the procession route.Some estimates suggested the total cost could be as high as $800 million, although no official evidence has been provided to substantiate that figure, as cited by Iran International.Another point of contention was the reported turnout at the funeral. Images and videos from Tehran’s prayer ground complex prompted debate among some Iranians, many of whom said attendance was lower than expected despite what they described as a large-scale state mobilisation effort.According to messages shared with Iran International, some people alleged that authorities relied on government employees, security personnel, organised transportation, free meals and public holidays to boost attendance, but still did not fill the designated venue.
