Following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, mourning ceremonies took place at Shia institutions across the United Kingdom. While leaders of Muslim institutions downplayed their involvement with the ceremonies—telling Focus on Western Islamism (FWI) that the gatherings were informal, unauthorized, or merely private expressions of grief—the events drew the attention of the U.K. Charity Commission, which confirmed it had contacted trustees at the Islamic Center of England in Maida Vale as part of its ongoing regulatory inquiry into the charity.
We are currently in welcome dialogue with the Government to ensure our powers and our corresponding resources are fit for the present and the future.
“We are aware of a vigil reportedly held at the Islamic Center of England, in relation to the death of Ayatollah Khamenei. As part of our ongoing inquiry into Islamic Center of England, we have contacted the trustees about this,” a Charity commission spokesperson told FWI. “More widely, in light of recent developments in Iran, we have been in direct contact with some charities to remind trustees of their legal duties relating to any political activity, proactively warning them of the consequences of breaching charity law.”
The regulator also informed FWI that it is currently in discussions with the British government about expanding its authority and resources, arguing that its powers must keep pace with politically sensitive activities carried out through registered charities.
“It is not currently open to the Commission to remove charitable status as a sanction, and in the absence of proscription of the IRGC the Commission can only act where there is clear evidence of a breach of charity law,” a spokesperson told FWI . “We know our powers must keep pace. We are currently in welcome dialogue with the Government to ensure our powers and our corresponding resources are fit for the present and the future.”
Wave of Memorials
The scrutiny follows a wave of memorial gatherings for Khamenei held at Shi’a institutions across the United Kingdom, documented by Habibi, a counter-Islamist account on X. As documented by Habibi, mourners reportedly gathered at the Islamic Center of England in Maida Vale. Similar events took place at the Manchester Islamic Institute, the Imam Reza Islamic Cultural Center in Birmingham, and the Al-Zahra Center in Watford. The Islamic Center of England and the Manchester Islamic Institute responded to press inquiries from FWI but the Imam Reza Cultural Center in Birmingham and the Al-Zahra Center in Watford did not.)
The Islamic Center of England in Maida Vale told FWI that it did not host any events mourning the death of Ayatollah Khamenei. It did, however, post the above statement on its website describing the leader as an exemplar of “steadfastness, devotion, and unwavering commitment to the faith.”
(Screenshot from Islamic Center of England website)
Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, during a precision airstrike on a leadership compound in Tehran where senior Iranian officials were meeting. The strike reportedly targeted a secure facility used by the Iranian leadership and killed several figures in Khamenei’s inner circle.
Within days of his death, vigils and memorial gatherings appeared across Britain. A demonstration also took place outside the Pakistan High Commission in London, protesting reports that Pakistani troops had killed dozens of pro-Khamenei mourners during related demonstrations abroad. (The High Commission did not respond to a press inquiry from FWI.)
Islamic Center of England
Outside the Islamic Center of England, images of Khamenei and his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, were displayed alongside candles. During the gathering, a non-Iranian participant reportedly waved a martyrdom flag and shouted “Labeyk Khamenei”—“You will be obeyed, Khamenei.”
The center later sought to minimize the significance of the gathering when contacted by FWI. In a written response, a spokesperson stated that the center is “an English charity governed by English law” whose mission is to promote religious, educational, and community-based activities. The center said it merely provides religious services and guidance based on the rulings of recognized religious authorities and that millions of Shi’a Muslims worldwide venerated Khamenei “as a senior religious authority and for his spiritual guidance,” adding that “many of our community have followed his edicts.”
The center added:
The Center continues to welcome members of the community and others who wish to attend for prayer, reflection, and private mourning in response to the recent events. During this period, the Center remains committed to maintaining a calm, respectful, and safe environment for all visitors. We have recently been made aware of posters circulating which appear to refer to an event at the Center. We would like to clarify that these materials were produced and distributed without the Center’s knowledge or authorisation. The Center has not issued, endorsed, or organised any such event. Accordingly, any reference to a vigil taking place at the Center is inaccurate.
The Islamic Center of England has been under investigation by the Charity Commission since 2022 after concerns were raised about the center’s governance and its connections to Iranian political figures.
In 2020, the center hosted a vigil honoring Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who was killed in a U.S. drone strike. This event prompted an investigation by the Charity Commission, which appointed an interim director of the center in 2023. In 2024, the mosque published a “Basic Fact Sheet” acknowledging the Charity Commission’s investigation into its operations. In this fact sheet, the center emphasized its commitment to “delivering religious, educational and social welfare services” to the community but did not specifically address concerns about the Soleimani vigil. It did not respond to a March 11, 2026 FWI inquiry asking about the investigation, which, as stated above, remains ongoing.
During a visit to the mosque in late 2024, FWI documented a large portrait of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran—displayed prominently inside the building.
Manchester Islamic Institute
The Manchester Islamic Institute told FWI that it “is not permitted and has never shared any political matters, be they local, national or international politics.”
The institute added that the March 4, 2026, candlelight vigil was not organized by the Manchester Islamic Institute, though it said the gathering had been conducted “respectfully and legitimately.” According to the institute, Greater Manchester Police had been informed in advance, and the organization remained in communication with police before and after the event.
Student groups organized similar vigils at the universities of Cambridge, Cardiff, Manchester, Greenwich, Aberdeen, Reading, Huddersfield, Portsmouth, Edinburgh, Bristol, Southampton, Surrey, City St George’s, and University College London.
Al Quds March Canceled
For years, one of the most visible expressions of Iranian political influence in Britain has been the annual Al-Quds Day rally in London, an event created by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to mobilize opposition to Israel and promote the Islamic Republic’s ideological agenda abroad. This year, however, the march will not proceed as planned.
According to reporting by GB News, the U.K. home secretary approved a request from the Metropolitan Police to ban the Al-Quds Day march, citing concerns about serious public disorder and heightened tensions surrounding pro-Iran demonstrations. The decision marks a rare intervention by British authorities to halt a major political demonstration tied to Iran’s global ideological network.
