The spectacle and symbolism of Khamenei’s funeral

The Listening PostHow coverage of the supreme leader’s funeral exposed the limits of familiar narratives about Iran.Once again, the Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of the latest escalation in the war between Iran, the United States and their allies. The ceasefire collapsed just days after millions of Iranians took to the streets to pay homage to late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of foreign reporters and social media influencers were granted rare access to Iran to cover the funeral, signalling just how carefully Tehran is calibrating its media messaging.Contributors: HA Hellyer – senior fellow, Royal United Services Institute Samira Mohyeddin – host, On The Line Media Negar Mortazavi – host, The Iran Podcast Alex Vatanka – senior fellow, Middle East InstituteOn our radarTurkiye has just hosted the NATO summit, and the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the United States president, Donald Trump, used the event to project an image of unity and strength between Ankara and Washington.Elettra Scrivo looks at the images, the messaging and how the coverage has shaped this story.How Big Food sells ultraprocessed foodUltraprocessed food is a major part of diets worldwide. These industrially formulated foods are often marketed as nutritious despite growing concerns that these products are contributing to a global health crisis.The Listening Post’s Nicholas Muirhead looks at how Big Food is shaping the way we see and consume ultraprocessed food.Featuring: Marion Nestle – professor, New York University Christopher Snowdon – head of lifestyle economics, Institute of Economic Affairs Arun Gupta – doctor and nutritionistPublished On 12 Jul 2026