Millions of Iranians poured onto the central thoroughfare of Tehran on the fourth day of mourning for the assassinated former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, expressing grief, anger, and a desire for vengeance. The procession, held in temperatures of 36°C, was as much a display of patriotism as mourning, with many calling for revenge against the United States and Israel.
Crowd shows defiance and unity
Drums, chants, and banners filled the air as families, elderly, and young people marched from Azadi Street towards Revolution Square. One banner read: "We the people are Iran’s true missiles." Vengeful chants against US President Donald Trump were heard, but there was also a sense of quiet release among survivors. "Welcome to our Iran" was a common greeting to strangers.
Iranian officials organized the march with all the typical elements: vast flags waved from lorries, placards in English and Farsi, and water sprayed to cool the crowd. It contrasted sharply with the earlier religious prayers at the Grand Mosalla mosque.
Voices of the mourners
Fatima Zadeh, a participant, said: "Of course, Iran has won the war, take a look at the population in the streets. If Trump dies today, will people attend his funeral? I want the war to restart, we want to destroy the oppressors and we are after revenge."
Ali Sayadian, a cleric from Yasuj who traveled 1,000 km to Tehran, said: "We want revenge. Someone has come here and killed our leader in his house with his family, our great man. It is our right to want to exact revenge." He called the procession "the voice of the Iranian nation."
Diverse reasons for attending
While many sought revenge, others expressed remorse for not protecting Khamenei. Maryam Ghiyasi, a doctor, said: "We are ashamed because we did not do enough when he was alive." Her husband, Hamid Razavi, praised Iran's leadership for signing a peace treaty without losing land.
Ali Hovayzavi, a software engineer, said: "I am here for so many reasons – to make some people hopeful and to make some people hopeless." He narrowly avoided bombs in Tehran and said he was not frightened.
Calls for nuclear weapons
Some mourners urged Iran to build nuclear weapons. Reza Aziz asked: "Would Japan have been attacked at Hiroshima if it had nuclear weapons? Would Russia be safe after the Ukraine invasion?" Mohammad Mousabvi, a gymnastics coach, held a "kill Trump" poster and described the event as a clash of civilizations: "This road is the pathway of the Islamic civilisation and with the help of God it will prevail over the civilisation of neoliberalism."
Moftabva Karbvasi, a professor from Isfahan, accused the US of building Islamic State to discredit Islam but said the world is becoming more familiar with the religion.
