The funeral of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was more than a national farewell; it was a powerful statement of defiance against the United States and Israel. The sea of mourners in Tehran sent a clear message that their attempt to break the Islamic Republic had failed. Rather than appearing weakened by the war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran presented itself as defiant, unified, and determined to shape its future.