Millions of mourners across Iran observed Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, which commemorates the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

Speaking on the sidelines of Ashura prayers at Imam Hussein Mosque in Sahand, in East Azerbaijan province, President Pezeshkian said the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) and other martyrs of Karbala had set in motion a historical struggle against tyranny that continues to inspire oppressed people around the world.

“The path of Imam Hussain is the path of dignity, honour and resistance against oppression and injustice, and this must be reflected in our actions, not merely in words and slogans,” he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X, paid tribute to the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

“Shias honour Imam Hussain (AS) as the Master of Martyrs because he sacrificed everything on the plains of Karbala,” Araghchi wrote.

“Likewise, we will never forget nor forgive the martyrdom of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as the Master of Martyrs of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.”

This year’s Ashura held particular significance in Iran as it marked the first Muharram observance since the death of Ayatollah Khamenei during the conflict that began in February.

Across Iran, millions of mourners dressed in black participated in traditional Ashura rituals, including mourning processions, chest-beating ceremonies, recitations of elegies and the distribution of food and water among mourners and the needy.