Video: Tehran Armenian church holds 40-day memorial for slain Supreme Leader
Abdullateef Fowewe
An Armenian Orthodox church in the Iranian capital held a memorial service marking the 40th day (Arba’een) since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2026.
The event underscored official efforts to foster national unity across Iran’s diverse religious communities.
Participants from Iran’s small but historic Armenian Christian population joined Jewish and Muslim attendees inside the church, where clergy led prayers before a prominent portrait of Khamenei.
The service highlighted interfaith solidarity amid heightened tensions following the leader’s death.
The commemoration aligns with widespread state-organised mourning rituals, as Iran navigates geopolitical fallout from the strikes.
