Michigan Imam Mourns 'Beloved' Khamenei: He Was Martyred by 'Wretched Hands'

A Detroit imam praised Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a 'martyr' during a Ramadan program at his mosque.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A Metro Detroit imam publicly praised Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a 'martyr' in remarks delivered during a Ramadan program at his mosque amid joint U.S.-Israel operations in Iran and the death of the brutal dictator. Mohammad Ali Elahi, spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom, described Khamenei's death as a 'profound loss' and condemned U.S. military actions that preceded it, framing the leader's death as an act of 'martyrdom'.

Why it matters

Elahi's remarks highlight growing concerns about Islamist extremism in the U.S., as the imam praised a repressive Iranian regime leader accused of brutally suppressing dissent and described the U.S. as the 'Great Satan.' This comes amid increased scrutiny of Islamist rhetoric and actions in the country.

The details

During a livestreamed Ramadan event at his mosque in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi delivered a eulogy for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader of Iran. Elahi, an Iranian-born cleric who emigrated to the U.S. in 1991, described Khamenei's death as a 'profound loss' and condemned the U.S. military operations that preceded it, framing the leader's death as an act of 'martyrdom.' Elahi suggested that celebrations over Khamenei's death stemmed from 'sickness' and 'ignorance,' and said the U.S. killing of the repressive regime leader was 'unfair and heartbreaking.'

  • The remarks were delivered on Saturday, March 3, 2026 during a Ramadan program at Elahi's mosque in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

The players

Mohammad Ali Elahi

The spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom mosque in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, who is an Iranian-born cleric that emigrated to the U.S. in 1991.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The late Supreme Leader of Iran, who presided over a theocratic regime accused of brutally suppressing dissent.

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What they’re saying

“So they started an illegal war and then go and bomb the house of the leader of the country. Where is the justification for this? [Where is the] reason for this at all?”

— Mohammad Ali Elahi, Imam (Middle East Media Research Institute)

“I know that you love to end this life this way, to be remembered forever and ever, that you were killed by the most wretched hands on earth. That is an honor, that is a pleasure to be in paradise of Allah.”

— Mohammad Ali Elahi, Imam (Middle East Media Research Institute)

“May Allah have mercy on your soul, our beloved sayyid [Khamenei]. Our condolences to your family and to your nation, and to the Islamic nation — those who have understanding.”

— Mohammad Ali Elahi, Imam (Middle East Media Research Institute)

The takeaway

Elahi's remarks praising the late Iranian dictator Khamenei as a 'martyr' and condemning U.S. military actions against the repressive regime highlight the continued presence of Islamist extremism in the U.S. and the need for ongoing scrutiny of such rhetoric and actions that seek to undermine American interests and values.