Members of London’s Iranian diaspora gathered Sunday for a candlelight vigil honoring Sen. Lindsey Graham, just hours after the prominent Iran hawk died unexpectedly at age 71.
Several dozen mourners assembled outside the US Embassy near the River Thames, placing candles around a makeshift memorial decorated with photos of Graham (R-SC) and Iran’s “Lion and Sun” flag, a symbol often used by opponents of Tehran’s theocratic government.
“Lindsey Graham, rest in peace,” attendees chanted. “Rest in peace and rise in power!”
Latest on the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham:
Graham, who died Saturday evening at his Washington home from a suspected aortic dissection, had long championed a hard-line approach toward the Islamic Republic. He frequently met with Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, and was seen at public events wearing “Make Iran Great Again” merchandise.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” described Graham as forceful and unwavering in his views on Iran. “Lindsey was unabashed. He talked to me about it. He said, ‘You know, you have to do it. You have to do it.’ He came to me and said, ‘Bibi, you have to do it. You have to knock out these nuclear weapons program before they knock us out.’ He was very clear about that,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu added that Graham’s views reflected deep conviction. “He was so clear, he had clarity, he had courage, he had convictions that he believed were at the basis of America and … like the Superman comics, you remember? ‘Freedom, justice and the American way’? He represented these traditional values,” the Israeli leader said.
Iranian state media, meanwhile, reacted with celebration to Graham’s death. On Sunday, a state TV anchor said: “I congratulate the great nation of Iran on Lindsey Graham, the warmongering and anti-Iranian US senator, having gone to hell.”
On Sunday evening, the US launched another round of airstrikes targeting Iran’s grip on the vital Strait of Hormuz, with the military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming “military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats” were among the military assets hit.
The Tampa, Fla.-based combat command confirmed that Sunday’s strikes involved “fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time.”
“The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade,” CENTCOM said. “Iran does not control it.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a key power center, responded: “The Strait of Hormuz is our territory, and we will not allow a rogue and child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference in it.”
