Iranian Regime Displays Power and Threatens Trump and Netanyahu at Khamenei Funeral

The third day of the funeral events for Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei turned into a carefully orchestrated show of strength by the Iranian regime, with hundreds of thousands filling Tehran's streets. The funeral procession prominently featured harsh revenge messages targeting U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. For the first time since the war began, senior regime figures appeared publicly, while efforts were made to portray Khamenei as a martyr who sacrificed his life in the struggle against Israel and the United States, according to reports from The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, CNN, and Iranian media.

Along the procession route, dozens of signs and posters carried strong anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans. One poster showed Trump’s photo with the Persian caption "We will not leave you," while videos showed participants throwing bottles at the sign. Another large sign labeled "WANTED" displayed Trump and Netanyahu with crosshairs over their faces, accompanied by an English call to "kill them like dogs" for a reward, and coffins draped in U.S. and Israeli flags marked "Coming Soon." A nearby banner read "THERE WILL BE BLOOD" with the phrase "KILL TRUMP" underneath. Throughout the procession, chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" were repeatedly heard. At one eulogy, a speaker asked, "Why don’t we kill the one who killed my Imam and my leader?" referring to Trump, earning applause.

The regime is framing Khamenei as a holy martyr akin to Imam Hussein, a revered figure in Shia Islam who died over 1,300 years ago symbolizing sacrifice and resistance to tyranny. Thousands carried flags bearing "Ya Hussein," symbolizing sacred death and revenge, and Khamenei’s coffin was draped with the same flag. The funeral route was deliberately chosen to pass through Tehran’s busiest commercial and cultural areas, culminating at Azadi Square, to link Khamenei’s legacy with everyday life and demonstrate the Islamic Republic’s enduring strength.

The event was tightly controlled by authorities as part of a "politics of spectacle," using public space, crowds, and imagery to project power and stability internally and externally. Families of victims from recent attacks traveled over 1,300 kilometers to participate, reinforcing the narrative of shared sacrifice. Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared publicly alongside the crowds, marking one of his most notable appearances since the war began. Other senior officials included President Ebrahim Raisi, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the new Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi, who received chants of "Vahidi! Vahidi! Revenge! Revenge!" However, the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was absent, likely due to security concerns, with Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani leading prayers instead.

The presence of Iran’s judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, who ordered a massacre of 40,000 Iranians earlier this year, was also noted. The funeral events illustrate Tehran’s attempt to transform Khamenei’s death from a loss into a rallying call, combining religious symbolism, calls for vengeance, direct threats against Trump and Netanyahu, and honoring war victims to signal Iran’s unity, resolve, and readiness to continue its confrontation with its enemies.