A councillor from western Sydney has stirred controversy by openly expressing his sorrow over the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This public display of grief has sparked discussions given the political sensitivities involved.

Cumberland councillor Ahmed Ouf was captured on video, addressing a modest gathering in a religious setting shortly after Khamenei’s death on February 28. In his address, he expressed unwavering support for Iran, declaring, “we all stand with Iran.”

According to a report by the Daily Telegraph, Mr. Ouf stated, “I’m standing with you in complete solidarity.” He emphasized the shared values and struggles, saying, “Openly, online and offline to say to you we all stand with Iran and we all value the Jihad.”

He went on to describe Khamenei as a leader not just for Iran but for what he termed the “free world,” adding, “The ones who are happy with his death are definitely wallahs. I can’t even process.”

‘And he is not only a leader for you, he is a leader for the free world for everyone.

‘The ones who are happy with his death are definitely wallahs. I can’t even process.’

Khamenei is a deeply divisive figure in Iran and around the globe.

He became Supreme Leader of Iran in June 1989 and spent the following 36 years ruling the country with an iron fist.

Cumberland Councillor Ahmed Ouf (above) publicly mourned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling him a ‘leader for the free world’

In recent years, one of the most infamous demonstrations of his brutal leadership was his crackdown on protests about the death of Mahsa Amini – who died in custody after being arrested by morality police for not wearing her hijab properly.

Iran Human Rights claims at least 551 protesters were killed by Khamenei’s forces, including 68 children and 49 women.

However, that response paled in comparison to the killing of protesters in recent months.

Mass anti-government protests began sweeping Iran in December 2025, prompting a government response from January 8, 2026.

Amnesty International described the brutal response to the demonstrations as a ‘massacre’ and the death toll is estimated to be in the thousands.

However, Khamenei’s supporters, and many Shia Muslims – a minority sect of Islam – are mourning Khamenei as a martyr and high-ranking religious leader.

Ali Alsamail and Julie Karaki, directors at the Shia Muslim Council of Australia, explained Khamenei’s death was viewed as a ‘religious and communal loss’.

‘Reducing his death to celebration alone erases the reality that millions are grieving,’ they told the ABC. 

Khamenei (above) was supreme leader of Iran for 36 years

‘It dismisses the spiritual dimension of his leadership and the sincerity of those who feel this loss deeply.

‘At a time when the Muslim community is already carrying profound anguish over the humanitarian catastrophe and documented human rights violations in Gaza and elsewhere in the region, this moment compounds an already heavy burden.’

It’s understood only a small number of Shia mosques in Australia have hosted events to mourn Khamenei, while celebrations for his assassination were held in several cities.

While speaking on Khamenei’s death, Mr Ouf told the crowd: ‘My role as a community leader is to lift people up, to open their eyes to the reality of what’s happening in this world.

‘My role is not to go with the flow of what people want me to say but actually with what people actually need to hear from me.’

However, he added Shia Islam ‘is not relying on a person’. 

‘We will keep walking on the path of Allah,’ he said. 

‘Even if every leader dies we will keep moving. Even if there’s no leaders left on the road of Allah – we will keep marching till we meet Allah.’

Khamenei was a divisive figure with some Shia Muslims mourning his death while other Iranians celebrated in Sydney

Mr Ouf has also shared several posts online condemning the United States and Israel for triggering the conflict in the Middle East last Saturday.

The nations repeatedly carried out airstrikes in Iran, killing several high-ranking leaders along with Khamenei.

Iran responded by attacking neighbouring nations as the conflict remains ongoing.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week estimated 115,000 Australians were stranded in the Middle East. 

Commercial flights from Dubai, the region’s biggest transport hub, to Sydney resumed on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described Australians publicly mourning Khamenei as inappropriate.

‘This is a regime which has engaged in international terrorism support, including of course here in Australia with at least two anti-semitic attacks, including the financing and promotion of the attack on the Adass synagogue in Melbourne,’ he said.

Daily Mail has contacted Mr Ouf for comment.