Scripture as Statecraft: Decoding Iran’s Qur’anic Messages to Regional Delegations
By Auwal Sani
An analysis of how carefully selected Qur’anic verses may have served as instruments of symbolic diplomacy and strategic communication during Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremony.
Statecraft is not always conducted through speeches, communiqués, or diplomatic negotiations. Sometimes, the most profound political messages are communicated through symbols. During the funeral ceremony of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, one such symbol appeared to be the deliberate recitation of carefully selected Qur’anic verses as regional delegations were received.
Viewed through the lens of strategic communication, the recitations can be interpreted as an exercise in religious framing, where sacred texts are employed to communicate political meaning, construct identity, reinforce alliances, and define relationships among state and non-state actors.
The Iranian reciter demonstrated remarkable rhetorical precision. Rather than offering generic prayers, each delegation appeared to be greeted with a Qur’anic passage corresponding to Iran’s perception of that country’s political posture during one of the most turbulent periods in the region.
The delegation from Oman was received with the concluding verse of Surah Al-Fath (48:29), describing the Prophet Muhammad and his companions as firm against hostile forces while compassionate among themselves. The choice is significant. Oman has traditionally pursued a policy of neutrality and quiet diplomacy, often serving as a trusted mediator between Iran and its regional rivals. The verse therefore appears consistent with Iran’s recognition of Muscat’s conciliatory role and its commitment to preserving dialogue within the Muslim world.
The Hamas delegation was welcomed with Qur’an 33:23, a verse honouring believers who remained faithful to their covenant with Allah, including those who sacrificed their lives and those who continue to persevere. Iran has consistently portrayed Hamas as part of what it calls the “Axis of Resistance.” Against that backdrop, the verse symbolically elevates perseverance, sacrifice, and steadfastness as defining characteristics of the movement and reinforces Tehran’s ideological support for the Palestinian cause.
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For Qatar, the reciter chose the opening verses of Surah Al-Fath (48:1–3), proclaiming clear victory, divine guidance, forgiveness, and Allah’s decisive support. Throughout recent regional crises, Qatar has maintained working relations with Iran while simultaneously preserving close ties with Western governments and other Gulf states. It has frequently acted as a mediator in regional conflicts. Within that context, the selection may be interpreted as acknowledging Qatar’s constructive diplomatic engagement while invoking a narrative of hope, guidance, and eventual success.
The most striking selection, however, accompanied the Saudi delegation. The chosen verse was Qur’an 3:13, which recalls the Battle of Badr, where a smaller group fighting in the cause of Allah prevailed over a stronger force through divine support.
Although Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic relations in 2023, profound strategic differences have persisted over regional security, political influence, and competing visions of leadership in the Muslim world. During periods of heightened confrontation involving Iran and its regional network of allies, Saudi Arabia has sought to balance regional stability with its own strategic partnerships and security interests. Against this background, the choice of Qur’an 3:13 can be interpreted as far more than a devotional recitation.
From a strategic communication perspective, it represents an exercise in religious framing. By invoking the narrative of Badr, Iran appears to relocate contemporary political conflict into an enduring sacred history. Within this narrative, Iran symbolically presents itself as aligned with the believers who struggle in the path of Allah while implicitly framing those standing in opposition to its cause through the Qur’anic imagery of the opposing force at Badr.
Whether one accepts or rejects that framing is secondary. The analytical point is that Iran appears to communicate political meaning not primarily through official statements but through carefully selected religious narratives that resonate deeply with Muslim audiences.
The ceremony therefore functioned on two levels. On the surface, it was a solemn farewell to a national leader. Beneath the ceremony, however, it appeared to operate as a sophisticated communication exercise in which Qur’anic verses became instruments of symbolic diplomacy, signalling Iran’s perceptions of allies, partners, intermediaries, and rivals without explicitly naming any of them.
For scholars of strategic communication, public diplomacy, religious communication, and political symbolism, the event provides a compelling case study of how sacred texts can be deployed to frame contemporary geopolitical realities. Rather than relying solely on diplomatic language, Iran appeared to communicate through a medium that carries unparalleled legitimacy and emotional resonance across the Muslim world.
If this interpretation is correct, then the funeral ceremony was more than an act of remembrance. It was also an exercise in strategic messaging, where scripture became the language of statecraft and religious framing became the vehicle through which political meanings were communicated to domestic audiences, regional actors, and the wider Islamic world.
Auwal Sani is Lecturer in the Department of Development and Strategic Communication, University of Abuja.
