An Ayatollah for the Aggrieved
Following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, protests erupted globally, with Shiite demonstrators in Karachi and Baghdad attacking U.S. diplomatic missions while supporters in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Turkey held rallies in his honor. Despite Iran's domestic repression and regional conflicts drawing criticism, its stance against the United States and Israel has garnered cross-sectarian support among Muslims who view it as resisting Western hegemony. The Iranian regime's anti-imperialist narrative, rooted in the 1979 revolution, continues to resonate with a segment of the global Muslim population disillusioned with pro-Western Arab leadership.
- ▪After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's killing, Shiite protesters in Karachi and Baghdad stormed U.S. diplomatic facilities and clashed with security forces.
- ▪Protests in support of Khamenei occurred in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, New Delhi, Indian-controlled Kashmir, and Istanbul, with demonstrators displaying his portraits and condemning the U.S. and Israel.
- ▪Iran has cultivated support beyond Shiite communities by positioning itself as a challenger to Western dominance in the Muslim world.
- ▪Despite criticism over its internal repression and regional interventions, Iran's confrontations with the U.S. and Israel bolster its image among many Muslims globally.
- ▪The 1979 Iranian Revolution inspired figures like Muhammad al-Asi in the U.S., who sought to align local Islamic institutions with the revolution’s anti-Western ideals.
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Essay An Ayatollah for the Aggrieved For Iran’s Sunni admirers, resistance remains the appeal. By Umar Farooq, a journalist who covered the Middle East and South and Central Asia for outlets such as Reuters, Al Jazeera English, and the Los Angeles Times. Activists and supporters of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party hold posters of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an anti-US and Israel protest at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka on March 1. Activists and supporters of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party hold posters of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an anti-US and Israel protest at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka on March 1. Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP via Getty Images Get audio access with any FP subscription.
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