While Tehran Mourns Khamenei, Many Citizens Flee the Capital

As mourners streamed into Tehran this week to mark the passing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s slain supreme leader, many residents of the city chose to go the other way.

Rather than join the solemn chants and funeral processions, they have become part of a large northward exodus, seeking peace in mountain hamlets and liveliness in coastal resorts.

Their departure from the capital underscores that not all Iranians mourn the end of Ayatollah Khamenei’s nearly four‑decade rule—a era defined by harsh repression of dissent, highlighted by a bloody January crackdown on nationwide protests that left thousands dead.

For some who flee the city, opposing the staged funeral spectacle isn’t done via counter‑protests but by sharing selfies on social media of lavish brunches.

While news coverage showed convoys of mourners from across the nation setting up camp in Tehran, the social feeds of some residents displayed gridlock on the north‑bound highway.

“Everyone wants to escape this affair and these absurd ceremonies,” said Iman, a 38‑year‑old architect from Tehran. Like many others speaking on sensitive issues in Iran, she asked that her full name be kept confidential for safety.

The pictures and feelings of Tehran’s affluent escapees reflect only a segment of Iran’s populace; many others endure the country’s severe economic crisis and lack the means to leave the capital.

The divide between government supporters and those seeking to overturn authoritarian clerical rule has widened over the past year.

It began with nationwide anti‑government protests that were brutally suppressed, traumatizing sections of the populace. A month afterward, the United States and Israel initiated hostilities against Iran, killing Ayatollah Khamenei in the opening strikes.

Some Iranians viewed the war as the sole path to ending clerical rule, with a handful even recording themselves cheering the supreme leader’s demise. Those feelings faded, however, when the U.S.–Israeli strikes failed to overthrow the regime, yet killed thousands of civilians and inflicted damage on Iranian infrastructure and universities.

Deeply disillusioned by the crackdown and the war, state opponents have limited avenues to express their dissent, particularly as the streets are filled almost daily with rallies of hard‑line loyalists encouraged by the government’s survival of the conflict.

What remains, it appears, is to withdraw.

The Motel Ghoo, a upscale hotel on the Caspian Sea, shared images on social media Saturday of its tree‑lined streets, packed with cars and partygoers. The comments beneath the post revealed the divisions among Iranians unfolding in real time.

“Look how happy they are while mourning the supreme leader,” one follower commented, accompanied by a laughing and fire emoji.

“Well done,” another commentator wrote. “Keep going so Tehran becomes less crowded.”

There is no reliable way to measure exactly how many have departed—or arrived—in the capital. Yet several Tehran residents describe their neighborhoods as deserted, akin to holiday weekends when locals flock north for vacations.

Some affluent Tehranis who remained in the city seemed to have created their own enclave, even as one of the world’s largest funerals for their theocratic government took place just a few miles away.

The popular Instagram account “Rich Kids of Tehran,” which showcases the extravagant lifestyles of the city’s wealthiest residents, posted photos of cocktails, bikini‑clad women relaxing by luxurious pools, and partygoers crowding a DJ.

“How’s your weekend going, lovely people?” the poster wrote. “Good vibes, and stay motivated.”

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