LGBTQ+ Activists Slam Western Governments Condolences for Iran's President

“Ninety-nine percent of the missiles, drones,” Biden highlighted, never reached their targets “because of the quality of our forces.”

Biden was referring to the unprecedented attack of April 13 when Iran initiated an unprecedented offensive from its territory against Israel, deploying over 350 killer drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. In response, a coalition of jets from the US, UK, France, and Jordan effectively formed a defensive barrier, thwarting the Iranian offensive.

“Thanks to the US Armed Forces, we’re doing what only America can do as the indispensable nation, the world’s only superpower,” Biden stated.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) detailed that US forces neutralized over 80 one-way attack drones, accounting for 47% of the drones launched by Iran. This marked the first-ever direct attack from Iranian soil on Israel, an action that shifted global attention from the ongoing Gaza conflict towards Iran, rallying international support for Israel and sparking widespread condemnation of Iran.

The attack was an alleged retaliation to an Israeli air strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Following the Iranian bombardment, Israel conducted a precise counterstrike aimed at preventing further escalation into a full-scale conflict. This included targeting and destroying a component of the S-300 air defense system at the Isfahan base, a fact revealed through satellite imagery analysis.

Iran, seemingly cautious of igniting a larger regional conflict, played down the damage inflicted on its airbase and declared it would not pursue further retaliation. 

The cancellation came just one day after Islamic Republic loyalists attacked Iranian protesters in London.

Celebrating the demise of Raisi, outside the embassy on Saturday, protestors chanted "Death to Khamenei, Curse Raisi" and displayed a balloon shaped like a helicopter, symbolizing Raisi's helicopter crash as they danced.

This demonstration was a direct response to the violence from the previous day when supporters of the Islamic Republic attacked anti-government protesters.

Following the attack on Friday, a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident to Iran International. During the attack, four people were injured and one person was arrested, although the identity of the arrested individual had not been disclosed. The police said they are investigating the incident, reviewing videos from social media, and urging the public to provide any additional footage or information.

Eli Borhan, an opposition activist injured during the attack, stated that her mobile phone was stolen by the attackers and later accessed within the Iranian embassy in London.

 Meanwhile, another protestor was hospitalized due to a serious spinal injury as a result of being attacked.

The attack sparked a wave of reactions from political activists and opposition figures. Prince Reza Pahlavi condemned the violence, noting that Iranian protesters face threats both at home and abroad. He called for the arrest and trial of those responsible for the attack.

Prominent activist Masih Alinejad criticized the British government for its negligence regarding the Islamic Republic, urging the authorities to take decisive action against such attacks.

Actress and human rights activist Nazanin Bonyadi echoed these sentiments, stressing the need for a thorough investigation by London police and for the perpetrators to be held accountable for the attack.

This attack was not an isolated incident and part of a broader issue of Islamic Republic loyalists' aggression on Iranian dissidents.

Despite the cancellation of the candlelight ceremony in London, similar events continue to occur elsewhere. The Islamic Education Center in Maryland in Michigan held a memorial service for Raisi earlier this week, claiming that it was in solidarity with the people of Iran and supporters of global peace and justice. Meanwhile, Islamic Republic loyalists who went to the ceremony threatened Iranian protestors outside the center with death.

Zolnouri, who previously held roles within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and as chairman of the Nuclear Subcommittee, is leveraging the recent death of President Ebrahim Raisi to assert his ambitions amid Iran's political volatility.

Zolnouri's campaign for the speakership highlights his claims to reshape parliamentary dynamics, advocating for a shift from a speaker-centric to a representative-centric model. Amidst this political maneuvering, Iran's parliamentary elections have recently witnessed a historically low voter turnout, reflecting deep-seated public disillusionment with the government's legitimacy. 

Reports from state media claimed a turnout of over 40%, yet contrasting narratives on social media suggest significantly lower participation, indicating a divide between official accounts and public sentiment. The voter apathy was even more pronounced in the subsequent run-off elections, where more than 90% of Tehran's eligible voters abstained, signaling a disconnection between the Iranian populace and the government.

As Zolnouri enters the race for parliament speakership and Iran gears up for a presidential election in June, following the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, the forthcoming political events will be pivotal in assessing whether his leadership can redirect the parliament's focus and reinvigorate a disillusioned electorate, or simply maintain the status quo masquerading as reform.

Pezeshkian, known for his previous tenure as health minister and first deputy speaker of the parliament, said he “aims to increase voter turnout,” challenging the disenchantment with the electoral process in Iran.

Pezeshkian's announcement comes at a time as Iran prepares for an early presidential election slated for June 28, following Raisi's sudden death last week in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran.

The election arrives amid the Supreme Leader's efforts to consolidate power within hardline factions, pushing the presidency further into a ceremonial corner while ensuring all key positions are held by loyalists.

Public interest in elections has plummeted, with recent parliamentary elections marking a historic low in voter turnout. In Tehran alone, only seven percent of eligible voters participated in the recent run-offs, underscoring the growing disconnect between the electorate and the government. In the elections which saw Raisi gain the presidential seat in 2021, it was also record lows for the presidential elections indicating a similar challenge next month in the sham elections.

The upcoming presidential election is shrouded in uncertainty, with the Guardian Council likely to bar any significant non-hardline candidates.

As the acting president, Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, endorsed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, temporarily fills the void until the elections, the political landscape in Iran remains tightly controlled. Statements from government officials continue to emphasize a hard stance against Iran's perceived enemies and a commitment to unyielding policy directions, signaling no change in the country's political and social climate, ultimately in the hands of the theocratic dictator, Khamenei.

The crackdown extends to online speech, with authorities detaining six men and one woman in Gilan for their social media posts about the incident.

Colonel Hamidreza Feizi of the Fuman police in Gilan emphasized the government's sensitivity to online discussions, stating that “any content deemed insulting to those killed in the helicopter crash would lead to police action.”

The Iranian government and affiliated media continue to glorify Raisi and his companions as "martyrs of service," attempting to quash any criticism or ridicule that followed the crash amid a leadership crisis. 

The narrative control coincides with broader measures against free expression, including the arrest of a Tehran resident whose social media activity, once reaching six thousand followers, was forcibly curtailed under threat of legal action.

On Tuesday, Reza Babrnejad, the brother of Mehdi Babrnejad, a victim of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests, was arrested in response to his reaction to the death of Ebrahim Raisi, sharing a dance of his brother on Instagram celebrating the disaster. "The pure blood and the sufferings of all the mothers and fathers who seek justice will have their retribution. It may take time, but there is no escaping," he wrote.

Additionally, three days ago, the Judiciary Information Center of Kerman Province announced that 254 people were given "telephonic warnings and guidance" for posting "insulting" content, and eight individuals were also summoned for judicial proceedings.

After the news of the disappearance of the helicopter carrying the president, the former foreign minister of Iran, and their entourage on May 19, Persian-language social networks were filled with sarcastic messages praying for the news of their deaths to be true.