Iranian soldier beheaded by IS in Syria mourned as an icon

TEHRAN — Iran’s supreme leader and thousands of others on Wednesday mourned a young Revolutionary Guard soldier beheaded by the Islamic State group, a killing that has struck a nerve within the Islamic Republic as its forces continue to suffer casualties in Iraq and Syria.

The slaying in Syria of 25-year-old Mohsen Hojaji captured the imagination of many in Iran, a Shiite-ruled nation whose national religion considers acts of mourning and acknowledging sacrifices a sacred act.

Since Hojaji’s death, artists and others have memorialized him in videos and paintings, while discussion of his slaying has muted domestic criticism of Iran’s foreign military operations, especially in Syria.