Iran Marks 40th Day of ‘Martyred Leader’ with Massive Memorial in Tehran

The event, held upon the invitation of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was attended by a host of high-ranking officials, including Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mostafa Khomeini and Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Masoud Khomeini, sons of the late leader; President Masoud Pezeshkian; Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; Judiciary Chief Hojjat al-Islam  Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei; Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the founder of the Islamic Revolution; First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref; as well as various civil and military officials and a vast number of the late leader’s devoted followers.

The sprawling grounds of the Imam Khomeini Mosalla were filled with mourners carrying flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran and banners adorned with images of martyrs. Participants chanted slogans honoring the memory of the martyred leader, emphasizing their commitment to the path of the martyrs, standing firm against enemies, and calling for vengeance for the spilled blood of the martyrs.

Addressing the gathering, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, head of the Policymaking Council of Friday Prayer Leaders, stated, “One of the most significant lessons of the late martyr’s school of thought is the doctrine of resistance.”

He noted that the late leader, through a jurisprudential perspective, profound insight, jihadist gnosis, and unparalleled courage, derived the lesson of steadfastness from the school of the Great Prophet (PBUH) and possessed the talent to impart this grand lesson to the Iranian nation.

“It is through the elixir of resistance that the Islamic Ummah can build an impenetrable barrier against the currents of disbelief, tyranny, and global arrogance,” Haj Ali Akbari said. “This allows the nation to protect its identity, honor, dignity, and sovereignty, while paving the way for progress and prosperity coupled with pride.”

The speaker further remarked, “Our late leader followed the example of the Great Prophet (PBUH), and our nation followed his example. The great Islamic Revolution was the most significant miracle of our era, which removed the greatest obstacle to the nation’s success—the decayed, anti-progress, and despotic Pahlavi regime. We successfully navigated the eight-year Sacred Defense against the hegemony, defending our homeland’s sovereignty without yielding even an inch of soil to the enemy.”

Haj Ali Akbari concluded by highlighting the martyred leader’s managerial approach, stating, “He breathed the spirit of resistance into the Iranian nation, teaching them that the fulfillment of divine aspirations and the establishment of divine sovereignty—the ultimate goal of all prophets—is conditional upon resistance and steadfastness. By nurturing a culture of resistance, strengthening national and religious identity, and implementing an economy of resistance, he meticulously aligned all aspects of the Iranian nation’s systems with the school of resistance.”