He Called for ‘Ey Iran’ at Ashura—Khamenei’s Bold Move Blurs Faith and Nation

SAEDNEWS: A landmark musical performance by a leading Iranian religious eulogist signals a deepening synthesis between nationalism and Shi’a religiosity—an idea long championed by Iran’s Supreme Leader.

According to Saed News, the story begins with the enduring popularity of Ey Iran, the patriotic anthem immortalised by vocalist Mohammad Nouri since 1981. For over four decades, the song has ranked among the top five most beloved nationalistic compositions among Iranians. In sharp contrast, Ashura rituals—deeply embedded in Shi’a religious culture—feature noheh recitations: somber elegies mourning Imam Hussein and his companions, typically accompanied by nothing more than drums and cymbals.

Historically, the two forms—nationalist anthems and religious laments—have been perceived as stylistically and ideologically distinct. Among the fringes of both the secular and the devout, this dichotomy has hardened into dogma: the former expressing patriotic fervour, the latter a testament of religious devotion.

And yet, that presumed dichotomy has been quietly dissolved in the worldview of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a resurfaced 1980 wartime video, the then-young cleric responds to a soldier’s dilemma—“Do we fight for Iran or for Islam?”—with remarkable clarity: the two are inseparable. “You cannot defend Iran without fighting for Islam,” he says. “Nor can you protect Islam without raising Iran’s flag.”

That synthesis, long articulated in theory, has now been musically embodied. Mahmoud Karimi, a leading noheh-khwan, recently adapted Ey Iran for a religious ceremony, preserving its melodic structure while subtly adjusting the lyrics to fit the devotional context. Far from sacrilegious or nationalistic overreach, the performance underscores a fusion that has always existed in the Supreme Leader’s thought.

Its warm reception among Iranians—both before and during Ashura—signals a symbolic convergence between a people and a figure who embodies both Iran’s national guardianship and its highest religious authority.