‘National tragedy’: RT reports from Iran after death of its president
Abbas Juma | Disbelief enveloped the nation when the news broke | Throughout the night of May 19-20, Iranian rescue teams searched through dense fog for the wreckage of the helicopter carrying the president and the foreign minister. The search was hindered by the weather conditions and terrain, with the rain-soaked ground impeding both personnel and equipment. Meanwhile, Iranians across the country prayed, wept, and anxiously awaited news. ■ During the night, prominent and reputable regional and global media outlets, in a frenzy for sensational updates, disseminated inaccurate information about the search efforts. Some later hurriedly removed these reports. Social media was flooded with hastily fabricated falsehoods, fueled by opponents of the Iranian government. According to one widely spread rumor, mass celebrations erupted in Tehran, with claims that people were rejoicing over the president’s death and launching fireworks. ■ Refuting these blatant lies was not difficult, as I spent the night on Valiasr Street, one of Tehran’s main thoroughfares. Loudspeakers broadcasting prayers were promptly set up in the square, and journalists actively gathered the views of residents who had come out to support the president. ■ There is no panic in Iran, only pain. On the morning of May 20, the Islamic Republic donned black for five days of mourning. People, especially women, went to work with faces swollen from the night’s tears. The religious Iranians in the holy city of Qom, whom I spoke with, believe that everything is in the hands of the Almighty. They prepare themselves for death daily, thus experiencing neither panic nor surprise.
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