Dearborn Mosque Glorifies Khamenei as Martyr, Calls America a Nation of Satan Worshipers

Michigan Mosque Honors Khamenei as a Martyr and Calls America Satan Worshipers

A prominent Shiite mosque in Dearborn, Michigan held a memorial service on Sunday, March 1, 2026, honoring the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S. and Israeli military strike on Iran.

The service took place at the Hadi Institute, where speakers openly praised Khamenei and hurled accusations against the United States. Footage of the event went viral after being shared by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) on social media.

Hassan Salamey, a local lawyer and poet, addressed the crowd, declaring:

We're gathered here today to commemorate the martyrdom of the great leader of our time, Sayyid Ali Hussein Khamenei.

Salamey went on to claim that America was built by "devil worshiping Freemasons" and that the Statue of Liberty is "actually Lucifer, demonic bearer holding a torch of light." He described Christopher Columbus as "Zionist minded" and called the nation "stolen land."

Imam Usama Abdulghani, the spiritual leader of the Hadi Institute, offered what he described as both condolences and congratulations to Khamenei for achieving "this ultimate honor" after "86 years of jihad in the way of Allah." Abdulghani also urged mothers who brought their young children to the event:

So that our children will grow up with this culture, where we remember our martyrs and we're not ashamed of them.

At a separate service in Dearborn Heights, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom eulogized Khamenei in a livestreamed Ramadan program. Elahi, who is Iranian born and previously served as head of "political ideology" for the Iranian Navy in the 1980s according to CIA reports, stated:

You were killed by the most wretched hands on earth. That is an honor, that is a pleasure to be in Paradise.

A similar memorial service took place at a mosque in Manassas, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., where a "Potluck Iftar" event referred to Khamenei as "our leader."

Both the Dearborn and Manassas mosques appeared in a July 2023 Congressional Republican letter identifying organizations with ties to the Alavi Foundation, which lawmakers say operates on behalf of the Iranian regime. The Manassas Mosque reportedly received approximately $200,000 in Alavi Foundation funding.

Several lawmakers expressed alarm. New York City Council member Vickie Paladino and Rep. Randy Fine (R FL) voiced concerns on social media about such rhetoric existing within American communities.

Dearborn Shiite Mosque Celebrates Khamenei Martyrdom While Accusing America of Satanism

Khamenei was accused by human rights organizations of brutally suppressing dissent throughout his decades in power. Iran under his leadership persecuted Christians, executed political prisoners, and enforced strict Islamic law. The Iranian regime has been one of the most aggressive persecutors of Christians in the world, with house church leaders regularly imprisoned, tortured, and forced to flee.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let this sink in. On American soil, funded by an Iranian front organization, a mosque held a memorial glorifying a tyrant who tortured and murdered Christians for decades, and the speakers called our nation satanic. Imagine if a Christian church in Tehran held a memorial praising an American president. There would be no memorial. There would be a mass execution. This is the double standard we tolerate every single day. Khamenei's regime imprisoned pastors, burned Bibles, and executed converts from Islam. He was no martyr. He was a persecutor of the faithful who now faces the only Judge whose verdict is eternal. We cannot remain silent while evil is celebrated in our own neighborhoods.

Take Action

• Contact your Congressional representative and demand an investigation into the Alavi Foundation's funding of mosques on American soil: Find Your Representative
• Support persecuted Christians in Iran through Open Doors USA, which documents and aids believers suffering under Islamic regimes
• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support frontline Christian defense and advocacy worldwide
• Support Voice of the Martyrs in their mission to serve persecuted Christians around the globe
• Share this story on social media. The mainstream media will bury it. Tag your local news outlets and ask them why they are not covering memorials for dictators on American soil.