Iran declared on Tuesday that its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei would, a century from now, be remembered as the second Imam Hussain, as lakhs of mourners assembled across the country for his state funeral and raised slogans calling for revenge against the US and Israel.
Speaking to a group of foreign journalists during the funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei, members of his family and other officials killed in the February 28 strike on Iran by the US and Israel, a senior Iranian official said many people were drawing parallels between Khamenei’s assassination and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
"Ayatollah Khamenei will be regarded as the second Imam Hussain in 100 years from now," the official said, adding that his killing is a "turning point in Islam, Shi'ism and Iran".
Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala, an event regarded as a symbol of resistance and one that holds profound religious significance for Shia Muslims.
Replying to a question from NDTV, the official defended the calls for retaliation against the US and Israel, describing them as a demand for justice in response to the attacks. "What's wrong in demanding justice," the official asked, as chants against the US and Israel grows louder.
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered across Iran for Khamenei’s final rites, with the ceremonies unfolding amid widespread grief and repeated demands for revenge over the February 28 strikes. The attack had killed Khamenei and four members of his family, including his 14-month-old granddaughter Zahra.
The small coffin of the toddler has emerged as one of the most powerful images of the multi-day funeral procession, becoming a focal point for mourners calling for retaliation.
Many participants in the procession have been carrying red flags, a symbol of "blood debt", bearing the slogan "Ya Latharat al-Khamenei" ("Oh Avengers of Khamenei").
The slogan is traditionally associated with Muharram processions. Its use during Khamenei’s funeral has been presented as a symbolic comparison between his killing and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
Throughout the recent conflict, Iran has repeatedly invoked the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and the Battle of Karbala, portraying the war as a broader moral struggle between justice and oppression.
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