Global Outlook

  Iran on May 23 prepared to lay late President Ebrahim Raisi to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, the most important pilgrimage site in Shiite Islam. This final ceremony concludes the processions across Iran seeking to commemorate Raisi and other officials killed in the helicopter crash. However, the mourning rituals did not attract as large crowds as for Revolutionary Guard general Qassem Soleimani in 2020. This could reflect public sentiments after a violent crackdown on protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody. The government suppressed all dissent and avoided discussing economic troubles or Raisi's role in mass executions during the Iran-Iraq war. In Birjand, Raisi's hometown, thousands gathered in black along the main road as his casket passed by truck. Mourners reached out to touch the casket and leave tokens for a blessing. The truck bore a sign saying "This is the shrine," referencing Imam Reza's burial site. Burial at the shrine is a...