TEHRAN — In a display of public grief that appears to contradict years of Western media portrayals, hundreds of thousands of mourners have flooded the streets of Tehran for the third day of a seven-day funeral program for Iran's slain Supreme Leader, Imam Ali Khamenei.

The gathering at the Grand Mosalla Mosque—the largest in Iran—has drawn crowds so vast that journalists on the scene estimate attendance in excess of one million people, including those in the immediate vicinity of the mosque complex. The morning prayer on July 5 concluded with worshippers packing the square and surrounding areas so densely that reporters were unable to navigate through the crowds for approximately 45 minutes.

"This is challenging directly the narrative that the West has been hearing for years—that the supreme leader of this country was widely despised and enjoyed very little support amongst the population," said this reporter, observing from Tehran. "People could see the physical evidence of the absurdity of this at this very moment."
A Nation in Mourning

The slain leader, along with family members who were killed alongside him, lies in state at the Grand Mosalla Mosque. Mourners have traveled from across Iran to pay their respects, including from provinces such as Kerman, Hamadan, and Alborz—some making journeys of five hours or more by car.

Among those interviewed were families, students, and volunteers from the Basij paramilitary organization, which one member described as a social service organization that "helps people build houses, build healthcare centers" rather than a purely military force. Volunteers at the event assisted with crowd control and guided attendees through the massive complex.
Grief and Resolve

Mourners interviewed at the scene expressed profound personal loss, with many referring to Khamenei as a "father figure."

"You see, in fact, he was our father," one attendee explained. "The leader was our father, and if in reality you lost your father, maybe after one week or two weeks you will forget it. But this lasting—the loss of our leader is very difficult for us."

Many expressed belief that the United States and Israel were responsible for the assassination, citing the late leader's opposition to what they termed "arrogant governments."

"The Americans and Israelis have a problem with our belief, with our school of thought," one mourner stated. "So if instead of our leader, another person—they would kill him too. They have a problem with our belief."
Rejection of Negotiations

A recurring theme among those interviewed was opposition to negotiations with the Trump administration, despite the US president's recent comments about the mourning crowds. When asked about Trump's suggestion that the tears might be "fake," mourners were unequivocal.

"This is completely a lie," one attendee responded. "These are feelings that come from our heart. It's not correct. Trump is a big liar and a big actor—he thought all people are the same team. No."

A volunteer with the Basij organization articulated a common sentiment: "We have a saying: 'A wise man never gets bitten twice.' We cannot trust them."

Several mourners expressed conditional openness to negotiations, but only if ordered by the country's new leadership, saying: "We do not like to negotiate with the United States, but based on our leader's order, we just follow him."
The War and Its Toll

The funeral comes amid what mourners described as an ongoing conflict, with one attendee stating: "We lost our commander, we lost our leader... we have some very good achievements against oppressors, but also some very big losses."

Another, a student at an Islamic school, declared: "With the assassination of our leader and the martyrdom of his family, we will be more powerful than before. We are standing here to damage any arrogant power."

When asked what message they would send to the West, one mourner urged "the Western youth to listen to their heart... and support the Iranian nation." Another added: "History will be made by poor people. God says the poor people will make history."
Historical Context

The gathering represents one of the largest public displays of support for Iran's leadership in recent memory, occurring at a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and Western powers. As the seven-day funeral program continues, observers expect even larger crowds in the coming days.

The event has forced international media to confront a reality that many Western outlets have been reluctant to acknowledge—the apparently deep well of public support for Iran's supreme leadership despite years of sanctions, international isolation, and military conflict.

As one mourner put it: "Any people you see here came with his own discipline. We came to say thanks to our martyr leader and say goodbye to him, and to say we are ready to support the new leader."

RE

The Anti-Christ gets no sympathy.

Christ blessed the humble, the grieving, the just. But in Trump's gospel, weakness is punished, cruelty is crowned. The Beatitudes were once a promise to the lowly. He turned them into weapons against them. This isn't just inversion. It's desecration.

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit

In Trump's America, poverty is a moral failure. Aid is slashed. Tax cuts flow upward. Workers are parasites. The desperate are disposable. Humility is weakness. Wealth is righteousness.

2. Blessed are they that mourn

But mourning is mocked. Families killed in climate disasters ignored. Starving families scorned. A million COVID deaths met with shrugs. Empathy is weakness. Grief is noise.

3. Blessed are the meek

Humility is heresy. He kneels only to tyrants and demands submission from the governed. Generals are traitors. Judges are enemies. The meek don't inherit the earth—they're crushed beneath it.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness

But justice is hunted. Whistleblowers exiled. Prosecutors purged. Watchdogs defunded. The righteous aren't ignored—they're targeted. Righteousness isn't a virtue. It's a threat.

5. Blessed are the merciful

Mercy is eradicated. Immigrants caged. Children torn from families. Trans youth denied care. The sick mocked. The poor blamed. Compassion is criminalized. Cruelty is policy.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart

Purity has no place. Loyalty eclipses truth. Corruption is rewarded. Integrity is exiled. The honest are cast out, the vile promoted. In Trump's dominion, purity isn't rare—it's extinct.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers

But peace is sabotaged. He courts conflict, stokes unrest, and fans the flames of civil war. Allies alienated. Enemies emboldened. Chaos keeps him centered. Hatred is the fuel. Division, the engine.

8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake

And yet he dares call himself the persecuted. A billionaire felon cloaks himself in martyrdom while real truth-tellers are jailed, exiled, or silenced. He doesn't suffer for justice—he profits from injustice.