Absence of Three Former Presidents at Farewell

The ceremony honoring the martyred leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held Friday, July 3, 2026, at Tehran's Prayer Ground, was orderly and well-arranged, yet a notable formal absence was felt—one comprised of three living former presidents: Sayed Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hassan Rouhani. It would also have been appropriate for the legacies of two other former presidents no longer living to have been present alongside them: the son of Hashemi Rafsanjani and the spouse of Ebrahim Raisi. The office of president carries such significance that it would have been more proper for Mr. Pezeshkian to stand at some distance, as according to Article 113 of the Constitution, he holds the highest official position in the country after the Leader—he is not merely the head of one branch (the executive) or head of government, and minimally he should have been first in line. A display of the system's republican nature is possible only through the presence of the masses of people.

• Why were Khatami, Ahmadinejad, and Rouhani absent from the ceremony?. The significance of the presidency is such that correct protocol would have positioned President Pezeshkian at some distance, since according to Article 113 of the Constitution he holds the highest official state position after the Leader and is not merely the head of one branch or head of government.

# The Empty Place of Three Former Presidents in Farewell to the Martyred Leader of the Revolution