Video: Iranians throw stones at Trump's photo during Ali Khamenei's funeral

Thousands of mourners attending the funeral of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were seen throwing stones at a large photograph of US President Donald Trump in a symbolic 'Stoning of the Devil' ceremony. The ritual, inspired by the stoning rite performed during the Hajj pilgrimage, symbolises the rejection of evil and has also been used in Iran as a symbolic expression of defiance against perceived enemies, particularly the United States and Israel. The dramatic visuals emerged as one of the defining moments of the funeral procession.

As chants against the United States echoed through the crowd, participants repeatedly threw stones at Trump's portrait, turning what is traditionally a solemn funeral procession into a display of political symbolism. The video has since circulated widely on social media, drawing international attention to the hostile messaging on display during the ceremony.

WE WILL KILL TRUMP BANNER TOWERS OVER MOURNERS

The anti-Trump messaging did not end with the stone-pelting ritual. Towering above the sea of mourners was a giant multi-metre banner carrying a message in English: "We Will Kill Trump." The massive banner, prominently displayed during the funeral procession, quickly became one of the most striking visuals from the event.

According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, the banner was carried by participants in the funeral procession for what the outlet described as the ‘martyred Imam.’ Images and videos showed the enormous banner moving through the streets of Tehran alongside portraits of Khamenei, Iranian flags and religious symbols as mourners chanted slogans condemning the United States and Israel.

The funeral itself witnessed an unprecedented turnout. Tasnim News Agency and state broadcaster Press TV reported that millions of people gathered across Tehran to bid farewell to Khamenei. Press TV quoted Iranian officials as describing the funeral as the ‘largest public gathering in the country's modern history.’ Coffins carrying Khamenei and members of his family were taken along designated procession routes lined with grieving supporters.

Beyond mourning the country's late leader, the funeral also served as a show of strength by Iran's political and military establishment. Senior government officials, commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and representatives of Tehran's regional allies attended the ceremonies, while state media portrayed the massive turnout as a demonstration of national unity despite months of conflict and international pressure.

The hostile messaging at the funeral also came despite recent diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington. The United States and Iran recently signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at creating a framework for further negotiations to end the nearly four-month-long conflict in West Asia.

While the agreement has raised cautious hopes of reducing friction between the two countries, senior Iranian leaders have maintained that big differences remain. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf recently described the implementation of the MoU as 'difficult, but possible,' underscoring that Tehran and Washington still maintain differences over key issues.

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