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Moscow Police Detain Iranian Students Celebrating Death Of Ayatollah Khamenei
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russian authorities detained dozens of Iranian citizens in Moscow following informal gatherings to mark the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to reports from the Russian human rights project OVD-Info, the detentions took place on March 1, after the Iranian leader was killed during a joint military operation by the United States and Israel.
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The incident began when an Iranian woman identified as Reihane invited fellow citizens via social media to a celebration of joy in a Moscow park.
According to OVD-Info, participants were explicitly told not to bring political posters or slogans. Instead, the group arrived with food, charcoal for grilling, and a guitar. Despite the non-political nature of the gathering, Russian police arrived at the park, checked the identification of all present, and transported them to a local police station.
OVD-Info reports that while 21 individuals were officially documented in the initial proceedings, at least 45 court cases were eventually filed in the Shcherbinsky and Meshchansky district courts related to these events.
The detainees, many of whom are students at Moscow universities, were held for several hours. Police allegedly refused to provide water or medical assistance to a woman who felt ill and confiscated food ordered by the detainees for their own consumption.
The Moscow courts imposed an administrative arrest of 10 days for Reihane for organizing an unsanctioned public event. Other participants were fined 15,000 rubles ($189) for participating in an unauthorized rally. While the police claimed the group chanted “Thank you, USA,” the detainees denied these allegations during court hearings, according to OVD-Info.
The Kremlin has taken a starkly different stance regarding the death of the Iranian leader. Russian leader Vladimir Putin officially expressed his condolences, describing the assassination of Khamenei as a “cynical violation of the norms of human morality and international law,” as reported by Russian state media.
The detentions occurred against the backdrop of a massive military escalation. On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated operation aimed at neutralizing Iran’s missile industry and naval capabilities.
The White House stated the strikes were intended to ensure Iran could never obtain nuclear weapons. The death of Khamenei has triggered a chain reaction across the region, including retaliatory strikes from Tehran against Israeli territory and US bases in the Persian Gulf.
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