Mourning and Celebration Compete Over Iranian President’s Death

(RightWing.org) – Two recent administrations of the United States have taken a strange approach of appeasement — even enrichment — for the Islamic Republic of Iran which is the most egregious state sponsor of terrorism in the world; those of President Joe Biden and his ideological predecessor Barack Obama. The death of that country’s president has set off demonstrations to the news that are polar opposites of one another, including in America with the current group in control of the executive branch trying to walk with one foot in each camp.

The Butcher of Tehran

President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian along with several others were killed when the helicopter they were traveling in while in formation with two others crashed during their return from the dedication for a new dam on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan on May 19. The official state Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports that while flying through the mountainous Varzaqan province the aircraft attempted to increase their altitude to go over a sudden weather system.

IRNA also said that while the other two helicopters managed to get above the clouds, the one carrying the president and foreign minister was never spotted again by the pilots and crews of the others. It appears that the two government officers were “martyred” as the Iranian leadership is describing their demise.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led his nation to an official period of mourning and offered prayers for his longtime ally Raisi who shared his extreme interpretation of Islam with many around the world offering their condolences. Among them was an official statement from the US Department of State and Secretary Antony Blinken which said that the country was joining in an official capacity, this went over like the proverbial lead balloon among Republicans and many American citizens.

During a May 21 meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) questioned Blinken about the official statement and the secretary tried to play both sides by saying it was only done as a matter of the normal course of business and been through in what seemed to be an offhanded recognition of Raisi’s “reprehensible conduct.” Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) blasted the State Department comments and asked if Blinken believed that the world was better off without the Butcher in it, as he did.

Blinken responded that he believed the “Iranian people are probably [emphasis added] better off,” and when pressed by Cruz why his statement didn’t say that he claimed that it did, which is a very generous interpretation of what was written. Others are not being so wishy-washy about their feelings on the matter. One pundit replied to a video posted on X showing celebratory fireworks in Tehran with a line from a musical number from the movie The Wizard of Oz.

 

The purportedly independent Iran International News reported on the relief and joy of families and victims of Raisi’s heinous acts, such as the 2023 death of Mahsa Jina Amini who the Morality Police allegedly killed for appearing in public without her mandated hijab (head covering).

Raisi was also the architect of the brutal putdown of antigovernment protests in 2022 that left scores of people dead or maimed, and this legacy seems to be living on in spirit among Iranian security forces as they gather to quash the celebrations and threaten the celebrants and their families. Is it any wonder that so many agree with Senator Cruz about the state of the world without this man in it? A cynic may even begin to ponder which side of the equation Biden and Blinken are on.

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