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Mourners gather for the funeral of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Iran, on July 9 (local time). / Photo by Reuters via Yonhap News Agency

The New York Times reported on July 8 (local time) that the political tide between hardliners and moderates in Iran is shifting, as the dovish Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian faced threats from a hardline crowd during the funeral of the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held in Tehran on July 6.

According to the NYT, a crowd appearing to be hardliners swarmed around President Pezeshkian during the funeral procession on July 6, chanting "Death to appeasers," with some even attempting to push the president down.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was also present, faced physical attacks, being chased into an alleyway and pelted with stones during the funeral.

The NYT interpreted this incident not as a mere isolated event, but as a political signal where hardliners flexed their muscles amidst the power vacuum following Khamenei's death.

In particular, the report pointed out that the open threats targeted at the dovish leadership, even during a national mourning event like a funeral, demonstrate an extreme deepening of internal conflict within Iranian society.

Furthermore, the NYT highlighted that President Pezeshkian has maintained a positive stance on resuming nuclear talks with the United States, which the hardliners have slammed and revolted against as a "humiliating compromise."

The analysis shows a clear pattern of hardliners expanding their influence again to pressure the dovish leadership, a move highly likely to lead to hardliners strengthening their political dominance in tandem with the future succession of the supreme leader.

                                                                                                           Park Jin-sook