Calls for the assassination of US President Donald Trump echoed through funeral ceremonies for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday, as a speaker addressing tens of thousands of mourners described killing the US leader as a "duty" and urged supporters to "never abandon" revenge. The remarks came during Iran's ongoing state funeral, which has increasingly become a platform for anti-US messaging and political defiance.
"'Trump's Assassination Is Our Duty,' Speaker Declares"
A video circulating from the funeral ceremonies shows a speaker addressing a massive crowd gathered to mourn former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, delivering an inflammatory speech directed at US President Donald Trump.
"Why should we not kill the man who killed my imam?" the speaker asked before telling the crowd, "Trump's assassination is our duty. Never abandon your revenge."
The remarks were met amid a gathering of tens of thousands attending the state funeral, with anti-US slogans and banners also visible during the ceremonies.
Funeral Becomes Platform For Political Messaging
What began as a week-long national mourning ceremony has also evolved into a highly symbolic political event, with Iranian authorities projecting the funeral as a display of unity, resilience and resistance following Khamenei's death.
Alongside traditional Shiite mourning rituals, speeches and public messaging have increasingly focused on condemning the United States and Israel, reflecting heightened tensions in the region.
The ceremony has featured slogans, banners and speeches calling for retaliation, reinforcing the government's narrative following the killing of Iran's longtime leader.
Week-Long Funeral Continues Across Multiple Cities
Khamenei's body is currently lying in state in Tehran, where thousands of mourners, senior officials and foreign dignitaries continue to pay their final respects.
The former Supreme Leader was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran compound on February 28. His funeral procession is scheduled to continue through Tehran, Qom, Najaf and Karbala before his burial in Mashhad on July 9.
Throughout the ceremonies, large crowds have been seen chanting slogans, weeping and participating in traditional Shiite mourning rituals, including rhythmic chest-beating and public lamentation.
Martyrdom Narrative Takes Centre Stage
Beyond its religious significance, the funeral has become a powerful symbol of national identity and defiance.
Khamenei's coffins were placed on a white stepped platform beneath an ornate arch, surrounded by Iranian national flags and black mourning banners, highlighting both the religious solemnity and political symbolism of the occasion.
Iranian authorities have framed the late leader's death as an act of martyrdom, with public mourning and remembrance presented as enduring expressions of resistance against what Tehran describes as external aggression.
