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

Some have criticized the subsidies granted to clerics, though fewer than 10% of the 200,000 clerics have official posts in the government, and many seminary students work as laborers or taxi drivers to make ends meet. In the latest turmoil, protesters have also targeted clerics, with some online videos showing young protesters running up behind clerics on the street and knocking off their turbans, a sign of their status. Seminary students have been among those killed while serving in the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s volunteer Basij force during the demonstrations, the government says.

April 28, 2023 | 9:24 pm