The funeral of Abbas Ali Soleimani, who was killed by a bank employee with a Kalashnikov weapon

Soleimani, believed to be 77, served on the Assembly of Experts, an 88-seat panel overseeing the post of supreme leader. He also once served as the personal representative of Supreme Leader Khamenei to the restive southeastern provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan. Shiite clergy have long held an important role, one that only grew more powerful after the 1979 Revolution. Discontent has increased in recent years, however, particularly amid waves of nationwide protests over economic, political, and civil rights issues. The country is struggling through the collapse of the nation’s currency, the rial, and uncertainty over its ties to the wider world after the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

April 28, 2023 | 9:24 pm