Masih Alinejad took to New York City streets to openly celebrate reports that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead, a moment that mixed relief, anger, and a sense of justice for many who suffered under his rule. President Donald Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social and had earlier announced Operation Epic Fury, while Alinejad—once targeted in an alleged Iranian assassination and kidnapping plot—spoke bluntly about the end of a brutal era. Her reaction, raw and unguarded, has become a flashpoint for debate about justice, accountability, and how America should respond to threats from Tehran.
The scene in Manhattan was unmistakable: Alinejad moved through a small crowd, hugged by at least two women, and made clear the depth of personal pain tied to decades of Iranian oppression. “Every morning I wake up reading that my people are being killed by Ali Khamenei, but this is the first morning in my life that I get the good news, but I wanna run,” she said. “I wanna run. I wanna run. I wanna run. I wanna just run. I wanna just run and shout and shout and shout out of joy, out of joy, out of joy, out of joy.”
From a Republican point of view, her reaction is understandable and sincere: the removal of a tyrant who ordered killings and repression for decades can be seen as justice for thousands of innocent victims. President Trump’s public confirmation on Truth Social shifted the moment into the political sphere, and his earlier announcement of Operation Epic Fury frames this as part of a broader, decisive response to Iranian aggression. Many conservatives view firm, unambiguous action as the right response to state-sponsored terror and the best deterrent against future threats.
She posted the celebration video on X Saturday afternoon. This wasn’t a hidden post or a carefully staged statement; it was a visceral reaction to a lifetime of trauma that Alinejad and countless Iranians have endured. The optics matter: a dissident who survived alleged plots against her life celebrating in the open sends a clear signal to both supporters and enemies.
WATCH: The footage and testimonies circulated quickly, and the message was simple and direct: remove terrorists, and many will see that as a form of justice. Crowd reactions, interviews, and the willingness of the journalist to speak on camera added weight to a story that was already dominating headlines and conservative commentary threads.
There is a darker backdrop to all of this. In January 2023, three men were indicted on charges connected to a plan to assassinate Alinejad, and U.S. authorities previously charged an Iranian intelligence network with plotting a kidnapping to return her to Iran. Those legal actions underline that she was not a theoretical target but the focus of concrete plots, which conservatives cite as proof of the regime’s global reach and brutality.
On CBS News, Major Garrett relayed comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting Khamenei was “no longer,” and Garrett asked Alinejad what that meant. “Khamenei’s dead?” Alinejad asked Garrett, her hand coming to her chest. The exchange shows how quickly intelligence, politics, and public emotion collide when a longtime adversary is suddenly removed from the stage.
Her words in the interview were forceful and unambiguous. “If he’s really dead, this is a day of celebration. I call every Iranian, every American, if Ali Khamenei is gone, do not mourn. Do not even dare to mourn for the killing of a terrorist, because removing a terrorist is not tragedy. It’s a sign of justice,” Alinejad told Garrett. “Let’s not forget Nar Sultan. Let’s not forget Pouya Bakhtiari, Pewan, Massina Amini, Aida the doctor. Let’s not forget the Innocent unarmed civilians being killed because of him. He ordered my killing three times. He ordered the killing of innocent Iranians for 47 years, and that’s the dream of me to be alive, to tell Iranians, celebrate this moment when Osama bin Laden was killed in America.”
Her comparison to Osama bin Laden was intentional: she framed Khamenei as a state actor responsible for mass suffering, arguing that the world did not mourn when a terrorist who caused catastrophic harm was removed. “What did Americans do, my fellow American citizen? What did you do? Did you mourn the killing of Osama bin Laden?” Alinejad continued. “No, because you Saw this as a sign of justice for the victims of September 11th. If Ali Khamenei is killed, this is a sign of justice for the family members of thousands of unarmed, innocent people who have faced a massacre, who have been executed because of this guy. Do not dare to mourn for terrorists, and I hope, I hope this is the truth, and I’m sure that millions of Iranians will celebrate the killing of their [oppressor].”
She has also been a vocal critic of past administrations for policies seen as soft on the Iranian regime, including issuing visas that allowed regime figures to travel here for international events. “This activity posed such a threat to the Government of Iran that the Chief Judge of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts warned that anyone who sent videos to [Alinejad] criticizing the regime would be sentenced to prison,” then-Attorney General Merrick Garland said in 2023, a reminder that American freedoms can put dissidents at extreme risk. For many on the right, the episode reinforces the need for strong policies that protect Americans and punish foreign actors who order or carry out transnational repression.
The aftermath will keep roiling foreign policy circles, congressional hearings, and the court of public opinion. Conservatives will press for clarity, strength, and accountability, and the visceral images from New York will remain a stark reminder of what dissidents face and why some Americans see the fall of a tyrant as a moment of justice rather than mourning.
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