'Fireworks, dance, drinks'; How some Iranians celebrated Ebrahim Raisi’s death news

On Sunday hundreds braved the rains to gather in Tehran and Mashhad, to pray for President Ebrahim Raisi’s successful recovery. They hoped for some good news to come their way. Alas! the result was shattering and news channels zoomed mostly on the faces of youngsters with tears dripping down their cheeks. Headlines titled the news of Ebrahim Raisi’s death. While the nation grieved the shocking news, a large section especially women turned jubilant and threw a party to celebrate the tragic news. But why?

The 63-year-old Raisi has the infamous sobriquet "Butcher of Tehran". Raisi’s subtle involvement during the 80s played a vital role in the country turning from a moderate Shia Muslim nation to an extremist force. Raisi wears a blasé demeanour but is very zealous in his pursuit to conform the country to the tenets of Islamism. Under his regime, dissent was crushed, women were denied basic freedom, and extrajudicial killings spiked. It comes as no surprise that Raisi was groomed by the hardliner cleric Khamenei.

On Sunday, there were fireworks in some parts of the country. Among these, the celebration that garnered the most attention was that of the daughters of Minoo Majidi. Majidi, a 62-year-old woman, was brutally killed by the security forces for raising slogans against the Islamic regime last year.

"I am so happy to see smiles on your faces," wrote Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad on X.

Some even regaled the news by putting light on the past misdemeanours of Raisi. "Iran's dead president Raisi executed thousands of Iranians and raped women in political prisons,” said Mahyar Tousi, the founder of Mahyar Tousi TV.