Following the elimination of Iran’s brutal dictator, Ali Khamenei, on February 28, 2026, the world witnessed a rare phenomenon: a nation partying over the death of its own leader. Videos quickly flooded social media showing thousands of Iranians dancing in the streets the moment news broke that his compound had been struck. But that jubilation wasn’t contained within Iran’s borders.

The Iranian diaspora—many of whom have lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution—poured into the streets by the thousands in cities like Toronto, London, and Los Angeles. For a regime that murdered an estimated 40,000 civilians in recent months alone and systematically tortured women for the “crime” of showing their hair, Khamenei’s end was a long-delayed act of justice.

As a non-Iranian, I felt compelled to witness this history alongside those affected by it. I joined two separate rallies organized by Lion and Sun NY, a grassroots organization led by........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)