Moscow police detained dozens of Iranian nationals Sunday who publicly celebrated the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, following a U.S.-Israeli military operation, according to reports from the Ostorozhno Novosti news outlet.
The gathering occurred outside the Salaryevo metro station in southwestern Moscow, where participants reportedly shouted “Thank you, United States of America” and disregarded police orders to disperse. Authorities charged those detained with participating in an unauthorized public gathering.
Court records indicate at least 45 administrative cases have been filed in Moscow’s Shcherbinsky and Meshchansky district courts against individuals believed to be Iranian citizens under the same article of the law, despite initial reports citing 21 participants. The case materials contained nearly identical wording, according to Ostorozhno Novosti.
The organizer of the event, identified as a dentist who used Instagram to invite attendees, described the gathering as a “celebration of joy” and instructed participants not to bring political banners. During her court appearance, she claimed the event was simply a barbecue. She was sentenced to 10 days of arrest, while most others received fines.
Separately, students in Astrakhan, a city in southern Russia, were taken to the Iranian Consulate General to commemorate Khamenei, Ostorozhno Novosti reported. Students from Gymnasium No. 3, including members of the Yunarmiya youth movement’s Berkut unit, participated in a “solemn mourning ceremony” at the consulate.
The school stated that students laid flowers, candles, and soft toys at a portrait of Khamenei, “as a sign of deep respect for the Iranian statesman.” Printouts displayed at the consulate included quotes from President Vladimir Putin and statements from local Muslim clerics condemning the U.S.-Israeli operation as a “terrorist act.” The school characterized the event as a demonstration of “friendship and sincere support for the Iranian people.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S. And Israeli air strikes on Saturday, according to reports from Al Jazeera and the Express. Donald Trump reportedly received a photograph of Khamenei’s body, according to the Express. The U.S. And Israel launched attacks on targets across Iran following the strikes, with Trump warning of further military action if Iranian forces target U.S. Or Israeli personnel in the Middle East.
Following Khamenei’s death, Iranian state television announced the news, with a state news anchor becoming visibly emotional during the broadcast. Tasnim, an Iranian state news agency, reported the death of Major General Rezaian, head of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Police Command, in the attacks.
