Funeral controversy in Iran: Why is one of the coffins missing?
On May 19, a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi crashed into the Aras River while returning from an inauguration ceremony in Azerbaijan, killing all nine people on board, including Raisi. However, the presence of only eight coffins instead of nine at the funeral ceremonies in Tabriz and Tehran sparks controversy.
Iranian social media accounts highlighted the disparity between the number of coffins and the death toll, prompting discussions with various allegations.
The first allegation regarding the accident stated that all bodies except one were burnt, suggesting that one body was not recovered at the scene.
The second claim is intertwined with the sabotage debate. It suggested that the ninth person might have exited the helicopter during the crash. Another claim is that the ninth person was alive but was allegedly robbed upon arrival at the scene.
Amid the missing coffin controversy, scrutiny of individuals captured in drone footage at the scene reignited discussions.
Upon examining the names on the coffins and the officially announced names of the deceased, it was discovered that Jawad Mirabi’s coffin was absent during the funeral ceremony.
Mirabi was a member of the protection committee. However, it is also being said that Mirabi was not aboard the helicopter.
Despite differing allegations surrounding Mirabi’s fate, no official statement has been issued on the matter.
