In the aftermath of the US-Israel war with Iran and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, videos showing Iranians celebrating with a YMCA-style group dance while waving Shah-era Iranian, US, and Israeli flags have gone viral on social media. The scenes, largely emerging from diaspora communities, reflect jubilation among Iranians who opposed the Islamic Republic and viewed Khamenei’s death as the symbolic collapse of a tyrannical system that had ruled for decades. While the response inside Iran has been tightly controlled, abroad the moment has triggered open celebration and renewed discussion about regime change.
