IRGC Warns Against Criticism of Khomeini's Tomb Development

Ramazan Sharif, the head of the public relations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), referred to the "media campaigns surrounding the reconstruction" of Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb, warning that "care must be taken to ensure that, God forbid, actions are not taken that would provide opportunities for the enemies of the Imam and the Revolution to exploit." According to a report on Tuesday, June 1, by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Mr. Sharif acknowledged that the "suggestions and criticisms raised regarding this issue" were made "out of concern," but added: "It is very ridiculous and laughable that the infamous and corrupt BBC, as the trumpet of the old colonialist England, would maliciously use opinions expressed on social media to present the Imam's simple lifestyle and portray the construction of the Imam's magnificent shrine as contrary to his simplicity." Hamid Ansari, the deputy of Hassan Khomeini at the Institute for the Compilation and Publication of the Works of Ayatollah Khomeini, also told the website 'Rah Dana': "There are great figures whose shrines should be magnificent. Anyone who cannot tolerate these matters is either envious or ignorant." Mr. Ansari added: "An irrelevant and unfounded comparison has been made that juxtaposes the Imam's simplicity with his shrine. Is the Imam alive that he would want to use this shrine? Some have compared it to a palace. Is it not unjust to compare the shrines of the Imams with the palaces of kings? These are manifestations of the love and devotion of the people and those who wish to honor the Imam. Therefore, the more magnificent this shrine is, the more it signifies love for the Imam." These warnings and statements come after the development and reconstruction plan of the leader of the first Islamic Republic's tomb faced significant criticism on social media and even among traditional figures of the conservative faction, such as Masih Mohajeri, the editor-in-chief of the 'Jomhouri Eslami' newspaper. Mr. Mohajeri pointed out the construction of "hotels, halls, shopping malls, minarets, small and large domes, and other ostentatious constructions" in a complex titled "Imam Khomeini's Shrine," stating that Mr. Khomeini was "simple-living" and "always advised those in charge of affairs to avoid unnecessary ceremonies and excessive spending in constructions." Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Ansari, the person in charge of the reconstruction of Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb, stated: "If someone claims that because the Imam was simple, then there should not be a shrine, that person may not want those who come to the shrine to have peace." Mr. Ansari has also refrained from announcing the costs of the construction and development of this tomb, deferring it to the future. The head of the IRGC's public relations also stated that "the Iranian nation will show with its enthusiastic and glorious presence in the commemorative ceremony of Imam Khomeini that it will continue the bright path of Imam Khomeini in obedience and cooperation with his worthy and rightful successor, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution." Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder and first leader of the Islamic Republic, passed away on June 4, 1989, and for years, a ceremony has been held on his anniversary with the presence of thousands and a speech by Ali Khamenei, the current leader of the Islamic Republic.