Ashura ceremonies intertwine faith and support for state in Iran

Since the start of Muharram – the first month of the Islamic calendar – last week, black cloths have been draped across many of the passageways and neighbourhoods in Tehran and other Iranian cities as a sign of mourning.

Wednesday and Thursday marked Tasua and Ashura, declared public holidays in Iran each year by the authorities to mourn the killing more than 1,300 years ago of Hussein ibn Ali, ...