Tehran, Iran —
It’s been a historic week in Iran.
For just the second time in the nearly 50-year history of the Islamic Republic, the country has buried a supreme leader. Ali Khamenei ruled Iran – as a spiritual leader and an iron-fisted autocrat – for nearly four decades. For many in Iran, he’s the only leader they have known.
Then, as the frenzied funeral events reached their climax, US bombs and missiles struck across the country in retaliation at Iranian strikes on civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Just months ago, these strikes would have been an earthquake for the region. But after two wars in nine months, there was a sense of tired…