PARIS, France — The funeral for Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, which begins Saturday, is expected to draw millions, but some Iranians say they won’t attend, citing fears for their safety due to possible attacks and rowdy crowds, and others don’t want to take part in a lavish ceremony for a dictator while the country’s economy suffers.

Several Iranians from cities around the country, interviewed by AFP from Paris, explained why they are skipping what is set to be the largest state funeral in Iranian history.

In the capital Tehran, residents reported fewer people than usual were out and about, with shops closed and roads leading out of the city packed, suggesting many did not want to take part in the ceremonies.

The multi-day funeral of the man venerated by many Shias, killed in Israeli strikes at the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran in late February, is taking place against the backdrop of a fragile US-Iran truce, and six months after major anti-government protests and a deadly government crackdown rocked the country.

“My concern is that poor organization could put people’s lives at risk,” said Effat, a 67-year-old housewife in the northeast city of Mashhad. “I also worry about the possibility of violence or a terrorist attack intended to gain international attention.”

“When those kinds of tragic things happen, the authorities quickly blame foreign actors like Israel or the opposition, before the facts are clearly established. I just hope everyone who attends returns home safely,” she said.

‘Nighttime checkpoints are back’

“From what I can see, many people in Tehran are actually leaving the city and escaping the messy, crowded city and ceremony,” said Azadeh, 43, a........

© The Times of Israel