World
Iran's Ashura commemoration blends faith and state support
This year's Ashura observance in Iran is not only a memorial for Imam Hussein but also an opportunity for the state to assert continuity with leaders killed by the U.S. and Israel, who are regarded as martyrs. State-linked processions and rituals dominate, while some families use the occasion to honor slain protesters. President Pezeshkian used the night to call for national unity.
