Reactions to the Popular Mourner Khamenei's Trip to Thailand: Motiei in Bangkok and Behdarvand Longing for the Shah's Era

The presence of Meysam Motiei, the popular mourner of Khamenei, in Thailand coincided with government propaganda events for the Arbaeen pilgrimage and the release of videos of his mourning in social media, sparking reactions from users online. Meysam Motiei, a mourner and elegist for Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, traveled to Bangkok on September 1 to participate in Shiite programs and gatherings, including mourning ceremonies related to Arbaeen and the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad's death in Thailand. Motiei's trip to Thailand, known as a tourist destination for some Iranians, has generated reactions on social media and has become a subject of humor. For instance, Ali Karimi, a popular Iranian football figure and opponent of the Islamic Republic, referenced Motiei's trip to Thailand during the mourning days of the last month of Safar on the social media platform X, responding with the phrase 'hit the chest harder, Arzesh.' Journalist Nima Payandeh also mentioned that Motiei is 'expected to chant upon returning from the mourning gatherings in Bangkok and Pattaya, saying, 'O Allah, grant us Thailand... Pattaya... Istanbul... Van... Kusadasi, not for pleasure but solely for the promotion of Islam.' Another user, referring to a religious propaganda slogan of the Islamic Republic and replacing 'Karbala' with 'Pattaya,' stated, 'Pattaya is waiting for us, let's go,' adding that 'the path to Quds passes through Pattaya. Let the Pattaya pilgrimage happen; it will be welcomed ten times more than the doping Arbaeen pilgrimage.' He also emphasized that the forces of the Islamic Republic 'registered to go to Gaza but ended up in Thailand.' In contrast, a pro-Islamic Republic user stated, 'Some people go to Thailand just for pleasure and have no idea that Islam has grown even in the heart of disbelief,' noting that 'there are nearly 40,000 Shia there.' Journalist and political analyst Najat Bahrami also pointed out the remarks of Masoud Behdarvand regarding the welfare during the era of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, stating that 'Khamenei's mourner is in Thailand while the president of the regime longs for the Shah's era.' Bahrami's reference is to Behdarvand, the president of the fourteenth government of the Islamic Republic, who stated, 'I studied in a technical school during the Shah's time, went to serve in Sistan and Baluchestan; when I returned, I got another diploma; I took the exam and was accepted into university. If this law [impact of GPA on entrance exams] existed now, I would never have been able to study in that field and university.' Although some government media, including the Fars News Agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed that Motiei traveled at the invitation of 'local Shia' in Thailand and is expected to perform mourning in 'Imam Barah Bangkok' and several other cities, the website Rouydad 24 reported that the host of Khamenei's mourner on this trip is 'Jameiat al-Mustafa al-Alamiah,' an institution funded by the Iranian public budget. According to Rouydad 24's report, Motiei previously had a European tour and traveled to countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, and in addition to him, 'Ali Mohammadi, the head of the Organization of Endowments and Charity Affairs,' has also been 'a speaker accompanying him.' Meysam Motiei, who teaches at the government university 'Imam Sadiq,' is a supported elegist of Ali Khamenei and has a record of chanting with themes related to the political positions of the Islamic Republic in the region in Persian and Arabic, including 'O Takfiri, be patient' and 'Patience and Victory.' The Islamic Republic's religious propaganda is considered in the annual government budget programs and incurs significant costs. Jason Braddock, a policy director at the United Against a Nuclear Iran organization, previously stated about the exploitation of Islamic Republic propagandists in other countries to the Persian section of Voice of America: 'Western countries should take action to suppress the operations of the Islamic Republic's infiltration.' According to him, the Islamic Republic 'has a long history of exploiting charitable and religious institutions for recruitment, radicalization, and creating networks in service of terrorism outside [of Iran].' The expert further noted the activities of the Jameiat al-Mustafa as an example in this regard, adding: '[The size] of this university as a recruitment and espionage center for the Quds Force has doubled,' and for this reason, it is under U.S. anti-terrorism sanctions. Previously, the Open Data of Iran database reported on the budget of 'seminary universities' and related centers in Iran, stating that the total budget of five 'religious-propaganda universities' of the Islamic Republic, which are managed by clerics, exceeds 600 billion tomans. According to this report, these propaganda and religious institutions are often directly managed under Ali Khamenei's supervision and have been converted into 'universities' by his order and based on the resolution of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council.