Overview

• Hundreds of mothers lifted their infants above their heads during the annual Hosseini Infants Ceremony, symbolizing readiness to offer children as martyrs for God and Imam Husayn.
• The June 27 gathering marked the first Friday of Muharram and commemorated Imam Husayn’s six-month-old son, Ali Asghar, who was killed during the Battle of Karbala.
• Participants chanted “death to America, death to Israel,” using the ritual to reinforce political resistance alongside its religious significance.
• Footage of the ritual spread rapidly on social media, drawing global attention to Iran’s state-aligned expressions of solidarity and sacrifice.
• A mother interviewed by CNN said participants would support the state until perceived enemies are destroyed as a testament to their devotion to Imam Husayn.