CAIRO: He is the grandson of an influential Shiite cleric, born in Qom — the heart of religious studies in Iran — and raised in a traditional family that embraced the theocracy. But by his late 20s, he had stopped praying and given up on clerical rule. Now, he can barely discuss politics or religion with his siblings and father. The tech worker, now in his mid-30s, says Iranian society is deeply divided, even among opponents of the Islamic Republic, and he blames one man — Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, was placed before millions at the Tehran Grand Mu ...

Khamenei's funeral revealed deep political divisions in Iran. No head of state in Iran by end of 2026 at 2.5% YES.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death has revealed Iran's profound societal divisions. Hard-liners displayed strength at his funeral while discontent simmers beneath the surface. …