By: Hal C Clarke

Hundreds of Iranian-Americans took to the streets of New York City on Sunday to publicly celebrate the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes, the New York Post reported.

The NY Post reported that roughly 500 demonstrators gathered in Midtown Manhattan and marched toward Times Square, cheering the news that Khamenei had been killed in the strikes and waving flags long associated with Iran’s pre-1979 monarchy — scenes that underscored deep and emotional anti-regime sentiment among many in the Iranian diaspora.

According to the NY Post, protesters hoisted the historic Lion and Sun flag that was retired after the Islamic Revolution, chanted pro-American slogans, and held signs reading “Make Iran Great Again,” invoking a slogan once associated with former President Donald Trump.

Demonstrators were also reported by the NY Post to sing Iran’s old national anthem as they made their way through city streets, a symbolic gesture reflecting hopes for a different future free from clerical rule.

Participants at the march expressed a mix of relief and joy over the news, with many describing the moment as a historic turning point for Iran after decades of what they view as oppressive theocratic governance. Some spoke about relatives back home and shared stories of family members who had suffered under the regime’s harsh policies.

The celebratory atmosphere in New York mirrored similar demonstrations in other cities across the United States and around the world. The NY Post noted that smaller gatherings of Iranian-Americans took place in places such as Los Angeles, with participants also waving American flags and chanting words of support for the U.S. and Israel’s actions.

Coverage from other outlets corroborates these scenes: in Portland, Oregon, for example, hundreds of Iranian-Americans gathered to dance, sing and chant support for the strikes, often waving pre-revolution Iranian flags and expressing hope for regime change in their homeland.

Even amid celebrations, reactions across the broader Iranian community and worldwide have been mixed. Inside Iran, reports indicate that some citizens quietly cheered and honked horns in the streets following news of Khamenei’s death, while others publicly mourned and observed official rituals in support of the regime.

Outside the U.S., diaspora communities in cities such as London and Paris also held rallies, with some demonstrators seen waving both Israeli and heraldic Iranian flags in symbolic expressions of resistance to the clerical regime.

Critics of the strikes and the public celebrations warn that jubilation could come with wider geopolitical consequences, pointing to retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iranian-aligned groups in the Middle East and potential escalation into broader conflict that could affect global stability.

Supporters of the protests — both in the diaspora and among segments of Iranians inside the country — framed the death of Khamenei as a blow against decades of repression and a possible catalyst for change, arguing that the moment could inspire renewed calls for democracy and human rights.