HARARE: 13 APRIL, 2026
The world marked the 40th Day commemoration on the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khameni (RA). The Muslim community in Zimbabwe commemorated the occasion at Aale Muhammad Mosque in Avondale in Harare organized by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. solemn event commenced with a Holy Quran recitation by Maulana Khalid Mwale, who also served as the moderator, setting a spiritual tone for the day. The gathering brought together religious leaders, political dignitaries, and community members to mark the 40th Day (Arba’een) of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei. Across the speeches that followed, a consistent narrative emerged, the martyrdom of the leader was not a defeat but a transformation into an enduring symbol of resistance, and the selection of his successor, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, represents the continuity of the Islamic Revolution’s principles.
The first address was delivered by the host, Dr. Amir Hossein Hosseini, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Zimbabwe, who reframed the very purpose of the commemoration. He explicitly stated that the gathering was “not merely to mourn, but to celebrate a luminous life” that of a leader who served as a guide, a father, and a steadfast symbol of faith and dignity for over three decades. The Ambassador identified four central pillars of the late Imam’s thought: resolute resistance to American hegemony and Zionism, unwavering support for Palestine, a strategic vision for South-South cooperation, and profound compassion for the people, especially children. He rooted Khamenei’s stance against global arrogance in the Qur’anic struggle between truth and falsehood, clarifying that the late leader opposed not a people but a system of domination characterized as expansionist, exploitative, and destabilizing.
Following Imam Khomeini’s characterization of the Zionist regime as a “cancerous tumor,” Imam Khamenei transformed resistance into a moral and intellectual duty, demonstrating that a nation could achieve scientific and industrial progress while rejecting external dictates, turning sanctions into engines of self-reliance. The ambassador also exposed what he called the hypocrisy of those claiming to defend human rights, citing a specific atrocity such as an American airstrike in Minab that deliberately targeted a girls’ school, killing more than 160 innocent children. This act, he argued, reveals the true nature of the system Khamenei opposed and strengthens the resolve to continue his path in defense of the innocent.
The Ambassador declared that after forty days of resolute resistance against the unjust American-Zionist onslaught backed by certain regional actors, Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq succeeded in thwarting the aggressors and compelling them to request a ceasefire. Nevertheless, he quoted the Supreme Council of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran: “Our fingers will remain on the trigger,” and any violation will be met with an immediate and decisive response. He then reported a specific breach: the Zionist regime committed a brutal attack on Lebanon, killing innocent civilians, which Iran strongly condemned. The ambassador demanded the immediate cessation of all Zionist aggression against Lebanese territory and affirmed Iran’s readiness to deliver severe punishment to the aggressor. He concluded by reaffirming the unity of the Axis of Resistance—declaring that any attack on one component constitutes an attack on all—and pledged that Iran will never abandon its allies, particularly Hezbollah, in fidelity to the teachings of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei. Under the new leadership of Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, and inspired by the stand of Hussein ibn Ali (PBUH), Iran remains committed to the liberation of Al-Quds and the defeat of Zionism and imperialism.
The second speaker, Sheikh Abdullah Makwinja, the president of the Alhlulbayt Islamic Guidance Council emphasized that this Arba’een occurs at a unique historical intersection of devastating war and fragile diplomacy, following the coordinated US-Israeli military campaign in late February 2026 that led to the leader’s assassination. He drew a direct parallel between Imam Khamenei and the legacy of Imam Husayn ibn Ali at Karbala, arguing that martyrdom transforms a political leader into an enduring symbol of resistance that cannot be extinguished by tyrants. Quoting the Qur’an (Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:169) and thinkers like Mutahhari and Shariati, he asserted that the martyr lives on as a candle illuminating the path for others. Sheikh Makwinja concluded that the Arba’een is a universal call to conscience, posing a fundamental question to humanity: will you stand for justice, or remain silent in the face of oppression, even as negotiations attempt to reshape the region’s political future?
The third speaker, Sheikh Ismael Duwa, the President of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Zimbabwe, presented a multireligious statement that described the conflict, now in its forty-second day as of his writing as a desecration of the sacred spark in every person, with thousands killed and millions displaced across Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf States. He welcomed the April 7–8, 2026, announcement of a two-week conditional cease-fire brokered with Pakistan’s assistance but expressed deep concern that active hostilities persisted on many fronts. Sheikh Duwa urged an immediate and sustained comprehensive ceasefire; inclusive diplomatic negotiations addressing core grievances including a nuclear-weapons-free region, accelerated humanitarian efforts through a global coalition; trust-building through people-to-people exchanges; and a long-term truth and reconciliation process. He pledged that the world’s faith communities would serve as peacemakers, accompanying every step with prayer and interfaith solidarity.
The Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Zimbabwe Dr. Ahmad Ghane spoke of the ongoing war as a cosmic struggle between truth and falsehood. The war between Satan and God the Merciful began at the start of the creation of Adam and has continued throughout history. During the 47-year era of the Islamic Revolution, the war between Islam and infidelity Islam and hypocrisy, the oppressed and the arrogant, and Allah and Taghut has persisted always and every day. Hence with the start of the recent war and the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader, the Martyr Imam and Leader, a new chapter has been opened by all the oppressed and freedom-seekers of the world against arrogance, and we hope this battle is the same apocalyptic battle that leads to the appearance of the Imam of the Time (may God hasten his reappearance) and the victory of the Army of Truth
Dr. Ghane presented a detailed list of the martyr’s characteristics, including jurisprudence, anti-oppression, refusal to surrender, and belief in martyrdom as the peak of ascension. Drawing a parallel with Imam Ali (PBUH), who only declared triumph at the moment of his own martyrdom, the counsellor argued that Khamenei’s 87 years of blessed life culminated in his death as the ultimate salvation. He then introduced the new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, describing him as a senior jurist who studied under grand ayatollahs and a trusted confidant of resistance commanders like Martyr Soleimani and Martyr Nasrallah.
However, Dr. Hamzeh Aziz delivered the final remarks and conclusive analysis, synthesizing the themes of the evening. He emphasized that the Arba’een commemoration served as both a renewal of allegiance to the principles of resistance and a confirmation of the continuity of the Islamic Revolution under its new leadership. He further addressed the broader geopolitical implications of the 40-day mark, stating that the failure of the US-Israeli campaign to break Iran’s spirit has compelled the aggressors to request a ceasefire. He reiterated that Iran’s fingers remain on the trigger, and any violation will meet an immediate and decisive response, particularly in light of the Zionist regime’s breach through attacks on Lebanese territory. Dr. Aziz praised the late Imam Khamenei’s strategic vision of a multipolar world and South-South cooperation as a lasting legacy that will guide the new leadership. He praised the pledge of allegiance to Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, confident that the path of dignity, justice, and resistance will continue. The event concluded with prayers for the hastened reappearance of the Imam of the Time and for victory over global arrogance, as the gathering affirmed that the revolution lives on and the resistance endures.
