AhlulBayt News Agency: Iran’s Leader of Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei, was assassinated in a US–Israeli attack in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Amid the escalating conflict, Ayatollah Khamenei’s martyrdom is considered likely to increase Iranian nationalism.
An interreligious studies expert from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Dicky Sofjan, said that the Leader’s martyrdom reflects the history and collective memory of the Iranian people, particularly Iran’s Shia Muslims. According to him, this situation could become a powerful tool for religious and political social mobilization.
He added that the situation would not only trigger Iranian nationalism. According to him, it would very likely awaken deep sentiments in the hearts and minds of millions of Shia and Sunni Muslims outside Iran.
“We have already seen this happen in Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, and other countries,” Dicky said, as quoted from the CRCS UGM website on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
In his statement, Dicky outlined several points regarding Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination as a symbol of the awakening of the Iranian people. The points are as follows:
The Collective Memory of Shia Muslims
Dicky explained that there is something the US–Israel camp does not understand about the collective memory of Iranian Shia Muslims. In general, he said, Shia Muslims are reminded from an early age about persecution, injustice, and resistance.
“Shia Muslims are intrinsically accustomed to opposition and resistance against existing powers. In my opinion, the current political constellation in the Middle East reflects exactly this picture,” he explained.
Defensive Jihad and Offensive Jihad
Dicky also explained that narratives related to jihad can influence the mobilization of the Iranian people, especially in response to Ayatollah Khamenei’s martyrdom. According to him, Iran applies the Islamic principle that no Muslim should be an aggressor, and that offensive jihad is not permitted in Islam.
On the other hand, defensive jihad is obligatory. This means that if a country is attacked, it becomes the duty of the government and all its citizens to defend it, even if doing so costs them their lives.
“Therefore, the Iranian people have the full right to defend themselves from any form of aggression by external parties,” he said.
Colonization Project
Dicky believes this is closely connected to the Zionist settler colonial project, which aims to create a “Greater Israel.” This aspiration involves expanding its borders to include all “occupied territories” of Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
“We need to see the bigger picture of these Israeli and US attacks as part of a pattern of hostile behavior that combines the brutal forces of colonialism, capitalism, and white supremacy, all in one package,” he concluded.
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