I am wondering... Are demonstrations against the regime or against the president allowed? or only demonstrations in favour of the president and the like? You, know... is difficult to compare when only some can speak and other's can't. How big would you say a demonstration in favour of a laic (or simply without the Ayatolah) republic would be?
What meaning does this have if there is no chance of supporting anything else?
If I recall correctly there were some serious demonstrations a couple of years ago against the regime of Teheran and the way women are treated by the police who is supposed to regulate the morality and conduct of women who walk around in the street and stuff. I think it is actually called the morality police there in Iran. Anyways, during those protests, there was quite brutal prosecution by the regime against protestors and I even recall there were some people who participated in the protests and one they got captured, they got a trial (perhaps not the fairest one) and got sentenced to death. Not sure on what the charges were about, but they were probably religious, something related to apostacy or rebellion against the state.
The point to be done here is Iran is not way a country where the political opposition would be left alone to peacefully protests for a change, either a political one or a societal change. This event and ceremony being held by the state can be both broadcast and be displayed in this manner because of the huge sponsorship and blessing it has by the state itself.
Pretty similar to what we would expect to see here in Venezuela when one of the leaders of the socialist party passes away.