Following the Death of Pop Singer, 'Clashes and Arrests' in Mashhad

Following the death of Morteza Pashaei, a popular pop singer, the state news agency IRNA reported that thousands of his fans held gatherings in most major cities in Iran, noting that following 'sporadic clashes' between the youth present at one of these gatherings in Mashhad and the police, several of these youths were arrested. Morteza Pashaei, a beloved young Iranian singer, passed away on Friday, November 23, at the age of 30 in Bahman Hospital in Tehran after suffering from cancer for a long time. According to reports, thousands of fans of this singer and composer gathered on Friday night in several cities to sing his songs collectively and light candles in his memory. Concurrently with the news of gatherings in Iranian cities, the news agency Mehr published a statement from Pashaei's manager and family emphasizing that this young singer was 'in love with the Ahl al-Bayt, Islam, and spirituality,' and that his family are 'in line with the revolution and the sacred system of the Islamic Republic and are followers of the Ahl al-Bayt.' Pashaei's father also expressed regret that 'some individuals have exploited the public's emotions and have diverted some gatherings into the margins,' stating that the true fans of his son do not wish for any kind of marginalization. According to IRNA, 'several thousand' fans gathered in Mashhad on Friday night on Hashemieh Street, holding candles and singing his songs together for hours. The news agency reported the presence of law enforcement officers at the gathering and, citing eyewitnesses, stated that following several 'sporadic clashes' between some of the youths present on Hashemieh Street and police officers, 'several individuals' were arrested. Additionally, in Qom, some of Pashaei's fans traveled from Pardisan Town to Alavi Park in about a hundred cars, playing his songs and later hosted attendees with dates and tea at the location. The news agency also noted that at the end of this gathering, some youths began to 'cheer and clap.' IRNA reported gatherings in Shiraz, Isfahan, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Ahvaz, Zanjan, Yazd, and Semnan. According to this news agency, heavy traffic was created in the streets surrounding the locations of these gatherings in all these cities. These gatherings were formed based on calls and promotions that were published on social media. Other Iranian news agencies also published images of gatherings of Morteza Pashaei's fans in Tehran and Karaj. Meanwhile, several news websites in Iran described the numerous and populous gatherings following the death of this young singer as surprising and significant. The holding of these gatherings on social media has also received widespread attention. For instance, the Asr Iran website on Saturday, November 24, noted the significant attention of the public and youth to a pop singer as very 'meaningful,' stating that this attention shows that 'despite all the promotional noise and official programs,' independent events are happening beneath the surface of society that are not immediately visible, but this invisibility does not mean they do not exist. The funeral ceremony for Morteza Pashaei will be held on Sunday, November 25, from in front of the Vahdat Hall towards the Artists' Section of Behesht Zahra in Tehran.