Grief of family after body found aired on live TV

Iran’s leaders have provoked a furious backlash after a bizarre PR attempt to increase public support for their brutal regime.

So far in 2023, Iran has carried out more than 300 executions, and is set to exceed the 565 it carried out last year.

Analysis has shown that many are for minor crimes such as non-violent drug offences.

The victims also included protesters who took to the streets last year following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the feared “morality police”.

The condemned had reportedly no access to lawyers, with their families only finding out that their loved ones had been executed after the event.

Read more… Iranians set to stage huge protests marking one year since Mahsa Amini death

Tehran’s brutal repression of its people and the difficult economic conditions the country is facing have led many to call for regime change.

An opinion poll of 158,000 Iranians in April found that more than 80 percent of respondents want a democratic government and country.

Horrific live broadcast

Iran’s religious leaders have turned to television in what appears to be a desperate attempt to boost their public approval ratings by exploiting the grief of parents mourning the death of their son.

Iranian TV broadcast a programme on Sunday in which the alleged remains of a young man who went missing five years ago were returned to his parents and family in front of a live audience.

The body, wrapped in a white shroud, is lowered into a coffin decorated in the colours of the Iranian flag, while his weeping and grieving parents watch on.

Cameras then cut to the audience, some of whom are also shown to be in tears.

The programme led to stinging criticism from the regime’s opponents, with one calling it “brazen shamelessness”.

The British-Iranian actor Omid Djalili published a clip of the programme to his Twitter account, writing: “After all the young people they’ve murdered, not to mention the innocent protestors they’ve publicly executed, this – YES THIS – is how the regime tries to boost their plummeting public approval.

“Apparently the wrapped body is fake too which makes it all even more ridiculous. Hard to make sense of the rationale behind it but the brazen shamelessness is absolutely mind blowing.”

His followers were quick to add their thoughts about the macabre ceremony.

@hambastegi wrote: “In short, they are begging legitimacy from their own supporters!

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“It’s kind of a self-pity, but it backlashes every single time, as it usually does!” Quercus said: “I don’t understand. The parents grief is heartbreaking and it all feels so exploitative and cruel.”

While Georgia tweeted: “What on Earth?!? How would this be perceived as positive for PR?”

Some felt the ayatollahs were trying to send a subtle message to young people about the dangers of taking part in ant-regime protests.

Eispan said: “It’s propaganda, either they’re hinting that the regime can do whatever they want or they’re showing the young rebels/protesters of the grief they leave behind to their parents/loved ones when they’re ‘gone’.

“It’s a (nationwide) reminder to the parents/relatives as well.” The UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East urged the Iranian regime to end the surge in executions, following a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council earlier in July.

Lord Ahmad said: “The UK and our partners have condemned the Iranian regime for their brutal use of executions to stifle dissent.

“The regime cannot continue to ignore the calls from the Iranian people, and the international community, for change.

“A moratorium on the death penalty must be the first step in the regime changing course and listening to the concerns of the Iranian people.”

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