But in several major Western outlets, the tone was noticeably placating.

The New York Times described him as a leader who “made Iran a regional power.”

CNN called him a “master tactician” and “the most powerful cleric in the world.”

Other coverage emphasized strategic influence and social indicators under his rule.

Missing from that framing is how Iran’s regional power was built: through Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi militias, proxy warfare, violent crackdowns on protesters, jailed journalists, and internet blackouts during unrest.

Obituaries are more than biographies. They shape how history remembers power.