Khamenei will be regarded as ‘second Imam Hussain’: Iranian official

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has said the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei will one day be regarded as the “second Imam Hussain”, according to NDTV.

Speaking to foreign journalists during Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies on Tuesday, Baghaei said the late leader’s assassination would be remembered as “a turning point in Islam, Shi’ism and Iran”.

“Ayatollah Khamenei will be regarded as the second Imam Hussain in 100 years from now,” he said.

Parallel with Karbala

Baghaei said many Iranians had drawn comparisons between Khamenei’s death and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Imam Hussain’s sacrifice remains a defining event in Shia Islam and is widely associated with justice, resistance and steadfastness in the face of oppression.

According to the NDTV report, mourners attending Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies carried red flags bearing the slogan “Ya Latharat al-Khamenei” (“O Avengers of Khamenei”). The phrase, traditionally associated with Muharram commemorations, reflects the symbolism being invoked during the funeral processions.

Demand for justice

Replying to a question from NDTV, Baghaei defended slogans calling for revenge against the United States and Israel, saying they represented demands for justice following the February 28 strikes.

“What’s wrong in demanding justice?” he asked.

Khamenei, along with several members of his family, was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, triggering weeks of conflict and heightened tensions across the Middle East.

Funeral ceremonies continue

Baghaei’s remarks came on the fourth day of Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies, which have drawn large crowds across Iran. The late leader is scheduled to be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on Thursday, July , after a week of funeral processions and commemorative events.