Nournews: The funeral procession of the martyrs of the recent Israeli attack on Iranian soil, with a remarkable presence of people in Tehran and other cities, cannot be regarded simply as a ritual ceremony or an emotional reaction from a sociological and political perspective. This widespread presence was a multilayered sign of the reconstruction of a form of social cohesion at a particular moment; a moment when the Iranian nation-state once again found itself under external threat and the society showed a conscious and symbolic response to it. The main question is: Why do people, under such ambiguous and multilayered economic, political, and media conditions, participate in such large numbers in this public ritual? And what are the implications of this presence?
The tradition of martyrdom and the reproduction of memory and collective cohesion
First, this phenomenon must be viewed within a historical-cultural context. The culture of martyrdom in Iran is not merely an official or propagandistic construct but part of the historical memory and identity-shaping of the society. From Ashura and its mourning rituals to the Iran-Iraq war, the narrative of martyrdom is linked to a kind of shared generational experience. By participating in these funerals, people not only mourn but also partake in recreating a "national narrative of sacrifice and collective agency." This reproduction of collective memory serves a dual function: on one hand, it revives the memory of resistance, and on the other, it demonstrates a continuity in the nation-building experience. In this sense, attendance at funeral ceremonies is participation in collective storytelling about threat, security, and the semantic boundaries of the homeland.
At moments when a real external threat targets a country, the collective reaction of citizens can carry significant messages. From the viewpoint of some social science theorists, social cohesion is reconstructed during crises—especially when an external attack targets not only the territory but also the symbols of security and national authority. In such situations, the funeral of martyrs as a collective action embodies a form of reflexive solidarity: people understand that the threat is against the entire country, not a specific faction or institution, and thus participate in shaping the social response. This reaction also functions as a form of repairing public trust—particularly in an atmosphere where social capital had shown fractures in recent months.
Political rituals and the redefinition of the state–nation relationship
In political science, public rituals such as funerals can be understood as a type of political ritual in which people redefine or reaffirm a collective relationship. Here, by gathering in the streets and mourning, people also offered a kind of "symbolic defense" of the country's political and security boundaries. These rituals, beyond being mere reflections of official commands or organization, can carry signs of public awareness about geopolitical threats and the defense of national survival and dignity. In this sense, despite all dissatisfaction or doubts, Iranian society is capable of regaining cohesion and collective agency at moments when the country’s security boundaries are perceived to be at risk.
In recent years, with the expansion of the concept of hybrid warfare, the line between physical war and perceptual battle has blurred. The Israeli and American attack on Iran’s military installations was part of this hybrid warfare—an assault with both destructive and psychological-media dimensions. In such a situation, the social reaction of the people as consumers of security gains added significance. The large public turnout at the funeral can be seen as a reproduction of the feeling of control and balance in the social order; a collective effort to prevent the erosion of trust in the country’s deterrence capability. This message is clear not only internally but also to the surrounding environment and external audiences: Iranian society is not passive in the face of military and psychological threats. People, even through symbolic acts like funeral processions, participate in reshaping the concept of security.
Tension between the social body and disparaging discourses
Another noteworthy point is the reaction this presence makes to certain disparaging internal discourses. Recently, terms like “corral” or reducing people to ignorant masses have been heard from some political and media circles inside and outside the country. However, the large and orderly presence of people on the scene—especially under such circumstances—demonstrated that the social body of the country possesses analytical ability, sensitivity to real threats, and readiness for purposeful action. In this sense, participation in the martyrs’ funeral can be interpreted as a revival of social agency in the face of elitist reductionism. The society, with a calm but meaningful act, redefined itself as an independent actor.
The million-strong funeral procession of the martyrs of the recent Israeli attack is more than a passing event; it reflects the dynamic and complex multilayered relationship among the people, historical memory, the concept of security, and political discourses. This procession was not simply a sign of empathy but an example of reconstructing social capital and the symbolic production of legitimacy in a society striving to recover itself amid crises. For analysts, officials, and social activists, understanding the implications of this presence can be a way to better grasp the society’s relationship with power, threat, and hope for the future. As history has repeatedly shown, the relationship between the people and security is not merely technical or military; it is deep, cultural, and based on a sense of belonging.
NOURNEWS