Tehran, Iran — Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Sunday for the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, transforming the somber occasion into a platform for fiery anti-American and anti-Israeli rhetoric. A poet emceeing the event publicly called for the death of U.S. President Donald Trump, while posters, banners, and graffiti throughout the venue explicitly demanded the killing of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (theglobeandmail.com)
Mohammad Rasouli, a poet who served as emcee before funeral prayers at the Grand Mosalla complex, addressed the massive crowd over loudspeakers. Referring to Trump, he asked: “Why is the most bastard man in the world still alive?” His remarks drew loud cheers and chants of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” from attendees.(globalnation.inquirer.net)
The comments marked the most direct public call for Trump’s assassination by an official figure at the funeral so far. Mourners waved banners reading “Kill Trump” and displayed posters of the U.S. president marked with crosshairs. Graffiti and messages scrawled on walls around the site echoed similar sentiments against both Trump and Netanyahu. (globalnation.inquirer.net)
Khamenei, who led Iran for decades, was killed at age 86 in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026, during the opening moments of the Iran war. The strike also claimed members of his family. The long-delayed state funeral, which began on July 4 and is expected to last several days with processions across Iran and Iraq, has drawn enormous crowds amid heightened security concerns. (pbs.org)
Iranian authorities have used the ceremonies to project national unity and resilience under the new Supreme Leader, Khamenei’s son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Senior officials appeared publicly, though Mojtaba himself has maintained a lower profile. Chants of “Revenge! Revenge!” rang out as Khamenei’s glass-covered casket was displayed, with mourners in black beating their chests in traditional Shia mourning rituals.
facebook.comThe event coincides with ongoing tensions following a fragile cease-fire in the war. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned against any attacks during the funeral, while Israeli officials have made pointed statements about threats to Iranian leadership. (cnn.com)
Analysts note that the strong anti-Western messaging serves both to rally domestic support and to send a signal amid negotiations over the conflict’s end. The funeral is expected to draw millions overall, with processions continuing in other Iranian cities and holy sites in Iraq before burial in Mashhad. (aljazeera.com)
