Chants target Pezeshkian at funeral
Hardline supporters of Iran’s Islamic Republic chanted against President Masoud Pezeshkian during the funeral procession for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Monday, highlighting internal divisions over diplomacy with the United States. Videos shared on social media appeared to show mourners shouting “death to compromiser” as Pezeshkian attended the ceremony, where senior political, military and religious figures gathered amid heightened tensions with Washington and Israel. The funeral drew large crowds and became both a mourning event and a political display after Khamenei’s killing.
Leaders issue warnings
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf used the occasion to warn that those responsible for Khamenei’s death would be punished. In remarks linked to the funeral procession, he said the “final step of revenge” would come through the “liberation of Jerusalem,” while accusing Iran’s enemies of aggression against the Islamic Republic. His comments reflected the defiant tone taken by several senior officials as mourners chanted slogans against the United States and Israel.
The funeral also came as tensions over possible US-Iran negotiations remained unresolved. President Donald Trump said Washington was close to “maybe making a deal” with Iran, but warned that the United States would “finish the job” if no agreement was reached. His remarks were followed by a sharp response from Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who told Trump to address the Iranian people with respect or face a response “in another language.”
Diplomacy under pressure
The chants against Pezeshkian underscored the pressure facing Iran’s president as hardliners demand retaliation and reject compromise with Washington. Pezeshkian has been associated with a more pragmatic approach, but the funeral showed that public and elite anger over Khamenei’s death continues to shape Iran’s political atmosphere. For US-based readers, the event signals that any diplomatic opening with Tehran will face strong resistance from factions that view negotiations as weakness.
The procession also served as a warning that Iran’s internal politics, regional ambitions and confrontation with the United States and Israel remain closely connected. As officials issue threats and Washington keeps military pressure on the table, the path toward diplomacy appears uncertain and politically fragile.
