Public Observance of Omar-Koshan Rituals Signals Shift in Iranian Sectarian Expression

The public celebration of 'Omar-Koshan,' a ritual involving the denigration of the second caliph, marks a departure from the Iranian state's historical practice of restricting such sectarian displays to private settings. This shift suggests a potential change in the regime's tolerance for overt anti-Sunni rhetoric, which carries significant implications for domestic social cohesion and regional diplomatic relations with Sunni-majority neighbors.