Iranians Take to Streets to Celebrate Khamenei’s Death

Iranians took to the streets across multiple cities to celebrate the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with videos emerging showing citizens expressing jubilation at the news of his passing. The widespread celebrations, captured on social media and verified by international media outlets, contrasted with reports that some Iranians were privately mourning the long-time leader. In one verified video from Galleh Dar in Fars Province, a man could be heard screaming, 'Am I dreaming? Ah! Hello to the new world. Ah!' as footage showed people tearing down a monument bearing a man's silhouette, possibly Khamenei's, at a roundabout while fires burned around them. The spontaneous demonstrations represented a rare moment of public political expression in the Islamic Republic, where dissent is typically suppressed and celebrations of the leader's death would have been unthinkable during his decades-long rule.