- News code: 1704604
Thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran on Thursday to mark the 40th day since the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, turning the capital into a vast scene of mourning, emotion, and protest
From early morning, major thoroughfares, including Enghelab Square, Vali-e Asr crossroads, Azadi Street, and Imam Hossein Square, were filled with mourners carrying red and black flags.
Similar mourning ceremonies and large gatherings were also held in other Iranian cities on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, marking nationwide observance of the occasion.
Participants chanted slogans such as “Haydar, Haydar,” “Down with America,” and “Down with Israel,” while marching in large processions accompanied by the sound of drums and mourning chants.
The city of Tehran, described by observers as resembling a “great Karbala,” witnessed people from all walks of life, young and old, men and women, gathering side by side.
Many were seen with tearful eyes yet resolute expressions, renewing a “pledge of blood and honor” on the 40th day after the Leader’s martyrdom.
The streets became a powerful symbol of collective grief and unity, reflecting both sorrow and determination among participants.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on his office in the heart of Tehran on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war of aggression that began while Iran was in the midst of negotiations with Washington over its peaceful nuclear program. A number of senior military commanders were also assassinated on the first day of the war.