Reactions in Iran to the Death of Sinwar: The End of a 'Killer' or a 'Superhero'

The death of Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of the extremist group Hamas, who is described as the 'designer' of the October 7 operation against Israel and the 'main agent' in the recent year-long conflicts in the Middle East, has significantly impacted the Persian-speaking social media landscape. Persian-language social networks are filled with images and videos from various stages of Sinwar's life, including his presence in Iran with Ali Khamenei, his speeches, footage of his last moments, photos of his death, and remnants of this former leader of Hamas. Some social media users, not all of whom are supporters of the Islamic Republic, have elevated him to the status of a 'superhero' by sharing the last published images of Sinwar and reposting items found after his death. The extremist group Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Praise from supporters of the Iranian government for him has reached such heights that some have compared Sinwar's death to that of Hussein ibn Ali, the third Imam of Shia Islam in Karbala, claiming he was 'more Shia' than some Shia individuals. Although the Persian-language social media has always faced both positive and negative reactions from supporters and opponents of the government following the deaths of leaders of proxy groups aligned with the Republic in conflicts with Israel, the publication of the video of Sinwar's last moments and his throwing a piece of wood at an Israeli drone while severely wounded has influenced a larger audience. Some of Sinwar's admirers, who are considered activists opposing the Islamic Republic, have gone so far as to compare him to 'Che Guevara.' While some opponents of the Islamic Republic's policies, especially Ali Khamenei, have wished for a similar fate for the Republic's officials, others, including some figures close to reformists, along with known conservative activists or those with pseudonyms in social media, have praised Yahya Sinwar, stating that the release of his last moments showed that he was 'not hiding in tunnels,' contrary to Israeli claims. This comes despite Israeli officials stating that the Hamas leader was constantly fleeing from one tunnel to another, directing operations against Israeli forces from there. At the same time, some opponents of the Iranian government expressed their disapproval of the release of the video of Sinwar's last moments by the Israeli army, arguing it creates a context for unnecessary influence and 'inspiration.' Supporters and activists within the government have referred to it as 'evidence' against Israeli claims of him hiding in tunnels, denying his 'espionage' and the 'killing' of Hezbollah leaders and other matters. Abdolreza Davari, a political activist and former official of the Islamic Republic who had accused Sinwar of 'espionage' after Nasrallah's death, faced severe criticism from some government supporters, to the extent that he had to write that the 'complexities of the scene' after Nasrallah's death and the 'weight of his martyrdom' led him to experience 'doubt' and wish for forgiveness. Hossein Alizadeh, an active security figure in social media known for his ambiguous tweets and insinuations towards political groups and rivals, wrote on X: 'Yahya can survive a year in Gaza; if there is no infiltration. Sayyed Hassan cannot be safe in Dahieh; if there is infiltration. Find the traitor.' He referred to the issue of 'infiltration,' which has long been warned about regarding its spread in Iran's military and security forces, with the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of this group's political office in Tehran, cited as one of its consequences. Some political analysts opposing the government reacted to posts such as 'the inspirational life and death of Sinwar for Palestinian children' and 'the resistance front not being eliminated and its victory in the future,' stating that the resistance front was kept alive by 'the negligence' of Israel and the West and 'financial support' from the Islamic Republic, not 'blood'; and with changing equations and Iran's reduced ability to support its proxy groups due to increased human costs, this front quickly fell into its current state. Many users have pointed out the financial costs of the Islamic Republic from its proxy groups in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, harshly criticizing the government for this issue. Ahmad Zeidabadi, a political analyst, also reacted to Sinwar's death, noting in his Telegram channel what he called 'the bipolar atmosphere of demonization and saint-making of political actors in the Middle East,' stating: 'The accidental assassination of Sinwar will likely reduce the intensity of the war in Gaza and affect the entire regional crisis.' Some users, including Fatemeh Shams, a poet and university professor, also referred to the 'warmongering' of Sinwar and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, stating that they achieved their wishes, but the wishes of those forty thousand or so people turned to dust, referring to the number of casualties during Israel's attack on Gaza in response to Hamas's October 7 operation. Some have criticized Sinwar's admirers, stating that their praise of him is, in fact, an indirect endorsement of war, violence, and killing. While some users express their joy over Sinwar's death and the loss of another figure supported and endorsed by the Islamic Republic by sharing videos of dancing and celebration, some government supporters have wished for a fate similar to Sinwar's so they can become 'martyrs' in the fight against Israel; this has led opposing users to urge them to go to Lebanon and Gaza to 'free the Iranian nation as well.' A few figures close to reformists have also criticized Sinwar, holding him responsible for dragging Iran closer to a direct confrontation with Israel, claiming that Nasrallah had kept Iran away from war for thirty years with 'wisdom.'