A small number of Shia mosques and Islamic centres in Melbourne and Sydney have faced criticism from the Iranian Australian community after hosting vigils for Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US missile strikes on Sunday.
Iranian state media confirmed the death of Khamenei, 86, following strikes by Israel and the US. Khamenei was commander-in-chief of the Iranian armed forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Australia proscribes as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Guardian Australia viewed social media posts from five Shia Muslim mosques and centres in Sydney and Melbourne hosting memorials. Some held three-night majlis from Sunday. In Melbourne, the El Zahra Islamic community centre held a memorial, with a representative describing Khamenei as a “respected scholar of the Islamic faith who was murdered yesterday”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the vigils were not appropriate, while NSW Premier Chris Minns called them “atrocious”, stating Khamenei was “evil” and responsible for killing 30,000 protesters. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Australians should not mourn him and vigils would be “inappropriate and insulting”.
Members of the Iranian diaspora expressed distress. Dr Rana Dadpour of AusIran said the vigils brought up trauma, as Khamenei was responsible for killing tens of thousands, including her family. Nos Hosseini from the Iranian Women’s Association said mourning him was a “slap in the face” to those who fled his regime. Meanwhile, thousands of Iranian Australians attended celebratory events marking his death.
The Shia Muslim Council of Australia defended the vigils, stating Khamenei was regarded as a senior religious authority by millions of Shia Muslims, and acknowledging grief is not an endorsement of policy. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils supported the right to perform funeral prayers as a religious obligation.
