In the wake of the U.S.-Israel war and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, videos of Iranians celebrating with a YMCA-style group dance while waving Iranian, American and Israeli flags from the Shah’s era have gone viral on social media. The scenes, largely from the diaspora community, reflected the cheers of Iranians opposed to the Islamic republic, who believe Khamenei’s death symbolizes the collapse of a tyrannical system that has ruled for decades. While reactions inside Iran were tightly controlled, abroad the moment sparked public celebrations and reignited talk of regime change.
Celebrations spread to streets in Iran after Khamenei’s death
Videos circulating online showed Iranians performing YMCA-style group dances to celebrate the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indoors and at organized rallies, with participants waving Iranian, American and Israeli flags from the Shah’s era. The world-famous simple, synchronized arm movements took on political significance in this context, symbolizing freedom, defiance of the clerical regime and solidarity with countries seen by participants as helping to end Khamenei’s rule.
Celebrations aren’t limited to indoor gatherings. One of the most widely shared videos shows Iranians and Israelis celebrating together on the streets of Golders Green, London. Hundreds of people packed a residential street late at night, waving Israeli flags and Iran’s tricolor with a lion and sun, a symbol used before the 1979 revolution. The roughly one-minute video, shot under a streetlight and captioned “Persians and Jews celebrate together,” quickly racked up millions of views.Throughout the video, celebrants chant “Am Yisrael Chai,” which means “The people of Israel live,” while flags fly above the crowd. Some participants appeared to be wearing kippots, and at one point a woman was lifted onto someone’s shoulders as cheers erupted around her. Multiple pre-revolutionary Iranian flags were clearly visible alongside the blue and white Israeli flag, emphasizing the political message of the rally. The crowd was largely made up of Iranian immigrants and refugees, who celebrated alongside Jewish Londoners.
Epic Fury Operation and triggers for celebrations
The celebrations appeared to be a direct response to Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli operation that killed Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials. Khamenei was reportedly being tracked months before the attack. News of his death spread quickly, and within hours of the announcement, some members of the Iranian diaspora gathered spontaneously.
