Aug 2, 2026 · 26 min · 9 segments
In this episode of ATTRITION, Ammar Kazmi interviews journalist Calla Walsh in the wake of Imam Khamenei’s funeral in Iran, reflecting on the massive gathering, lessons the left can draw from…
Calla WalshGuestOmar GhazmiHostMy time in Iran began with my attendance at the largest funeral in history for the martyr Imam Khamenei.
It was a deeply emotional, spiritual, and I must say, beautiful experience to be among millions upon millions of people all gathered for the same purpose.
I had the opportunity to visit the Imam Khomeini Masalla in Tehran with the blessed bodies of Imam Khamenei and his family members who were martyred alongside him lay in state.
Day and night, a continuous throng of people flooded into the Masalla to catch a glimpse of their coffins and on the 5th of July to participate in the first funeral prayer.
It was a great blessing for me to be able to stand and participate in that prayer.
The next day I joined a huge procession in Tehran accompanying Imam Khamenei's body through the city.
Millions of people gathered in the streets under the blistering sun to give their farewell.
I was about two meters away and amidst all the people, it was impossible to move more than a couple of inches at a time.
It took me around 30 minutes just to get out from the immediate vicinity of the coffin, which is now making its way towards this area.
to be able to see the coffin of the one who I thought one day perhaps I would pray behind, perhaps I would catch a glimpse of his smile at a sermon that he was delivering and said we were seeing his coffin, that of his 14-month-old granddaughter and his other family members.
There are people in a deep state of mourning, crying, beating their chests, but also there is a strong sense of defiance.
People's antipathy and indeed righteous anger and hatred against the United States of America and the Zionist entity.
cannot be disputed what all of this demonstrates yet again is the power of the shia islamic mourning tradition in which grief sadness and tears are not signs of weakness but in fact are signs of strength faith resilience and capacity
My time in Iran began with my attendance at the largest funeral in history for the martyr Imam Khamenei.
It was a deeply emotional, spiritual, and I must say, beautiful experience to be among millions upon millions of people all gathered for the same purpose.
I had the opportunity to visit the Imam Khomeini Masalla in Tehran with the blessed bodies of Imam Khamenei and his family members who were martyred alongside him lay in state.
Day and night, a continuous throng of people flooded into the Masalla to catch a glimpse of their coffins and on the 5th of July to participate in the first funeral prayer.
It was a great blessing for me to be able to stand and participate in that prayer.
The next day I joined a huge procession in Tehran accompanying Imam Khamenei's body through the city.
Millions of people gathered in the streets under the blistering sun to give their farewell.
I was about two meters away and amidst all the people, it was impossible to move more than a couple of inches at a time.
It took me around 30 minutes just to get out from the immediate vicinity of the coffin, which is now making its way towards this area.
to be able to see the coffin of the one who I thought one day perhaps I would pray behind, perhaps I would catch a glimpse of his smile at a sermon that he was delivering and said we were seeing his coffin, that of his 14-month-old granddaughter and his other family members.
There are people in a deep state of mourning, crying, beating their chests, but also there is a strong sense of defiance.
People's antipathy and indeed righteous anger and hatred against the United States of America and the Zionist entity.
cannot be disputed what all of this demonstrates yet again is the power of the shia islamic mourning tradition in which grief sadness and tears are not signs of weakness but in fact are signs of strength faith resilience and capacity
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