Rooted in Shiism, the official religion of the Islamic Republic, martyrdom is not merely a theological concept but a powerful strand in the country’s collective memory and political imagination.

From the state Assembly to students and farm unions, several sections in Punjab have expressed solidarity with Iran.

Idea of martyrdom is a central pillar of the Iranian regime’s worldview. That Khamenei did not flee and risked assassination could create a ‘blood debt’ legacy among rival Iranian factions and also gi ...