US Mosques Hold Memorial Services Honoring Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei

U.S. Mosques with Iran Ties Hold Ceremonies Honoring Khamenei Following Military Strike

Two U.S.-based Islamic centers with alleged ties to Iran have come under scrutiny after hosting formal events to honor Ayatollah Khamenei following his death in a recent U.S. military operation. The Manassas Mosque in Virginia and the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) in Dearborn Heights, Michigan both publicly advertised memorial services for the slain Iranian leader.

In promotional materials for a “Potluck Iftar” breaking the Ramadan fast, the Virginia mosque referred to Khamenei as “our leader,” raising concerns about the institution’s loyalties. Meanwhile, at the Michigan center, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi condemned the U.S. military action as “evil” and questioned its legitimacy.

“You promised America First, and now we ended up to have Netanyahu first,” Elahi told his congregation, suggesting U.S. foreign policy had been compromised. “Now we realize that all their talk about nuclear [concerns] was a joke, it didn’t even exist. From the beginning talking about regime change, we want to change, because we don’t like it.”

The imam further criticized the operation as “an illegal war” and questioned the justification for targeting “the house of the leader of the country.”

Both religious centers have previously faced government scrutiny. In July 2023, Congressional Republicans sent a letter to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines raising concerns about a network of U.S.-based mosques with financial ties to the Alavi Foundation, which lawmakers described as operating “on behalf of the Iranian regime, a state sponsor of terrorism.”

The letter specifically mentioned Imam Elahi’s background, noting he “served as the head of ‘political ideology’ for the Iranian Navy in the 1980s,” according to a CIA report. It added that he claims friendship with three former Iranian presidents and has maintained “seemingly non-stop contact with senior regime officials” since moving to the United States.

During the recent Ramadan program at IHW, speakers amplified Iranian claims about civilian casualties from U.S. military operations, including allegations that a missile strike had killed hundreds of schoolchildren. These claims, which originated from Iranian state media and officials, remain unconfirmed and have varied widely in reported death tolls.

According to The Guardian, U.S. Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins acknowledged they were “aware of reports concerning civilian harm” and were “looking into them.”

The Manassas Mosque reportedly received approximately $200,000 in funding from the Alavi Foundation. According to the congressional letter and a report from George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, the mosque has also allegedly received expensive relics from the Iranian regime. Video purportedly from inside the facility shows images of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) “martyrs” killed in Syria, a life-size cutout of Khamenei, and Iranian flags.

The IHW was characterized in the congressional letter as “a significant purveyor of extremist propaganda, in line with the Iranian regime’s views.”

This situation highlights the complex intersection of religious freedom, international relations, and national security concerns within the United States. The public mourning of a figure considered hostile to American interests raises questions about the extent of Iranian influence within certain U.S. religious communities and the potential security implications.

Neither mosque responded to requests for comment prior to publication.

The events come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with authorities remaining vigilant about potential security threats. The FBI is reportedly on high alert, and the Department of Homeland Security has warned about the possibility of lone-wolf attacks in the current environment.