Trump's Iran strategy backfires as huge crowds rally in Iran
Iran's mourning for its slain supreme leader drew enormous crowds, a sign that US and Israeli strikes united Iranians rather than turning them against their government — bad news for Trump's hope of a quick win.
- Reports say up to 12 to 15 million people turned out over six days to honor the killed Ayatollah and family members, including a 14-year-old granddaughter, one of the largest funerals in modern history.
- The strikes produced a "rally around the flag" effect, hardening public anger with chants of "death to America" and effigies of Trump.
- The new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, skipped the funeral over fears Israel might strike the gathering.
- The US reportedly waved Israel off a plan to hit the crowd, worried it would wreck any chance at peace talks.
- The turnout undercuts the Western belief that most Iranians would welcome the toppling of their regime.
Outlook: Iran-US relations look set to stay hostile, with public pressure inside Iran pushing toward revenge rather than compromise.