During a mourning ceremony on the night of Ashura held at the Hosseiniyeh of the Supreme Leader's office in Tehran, Iranian eulogist Mahmoud Karimi performed a rendition of the patriotic song "Ey Iran" at the request of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This event marked Khamenei's first public appearance since the onset of the twelve-day conflict with Israel. Karimi's version included modifications to the original lyrics, which sparked a range of reactions. Subsequently, another government-affiliated eulogist, Saeed Haddadian, performed "Ey Iran" during Muharram ceremonies, also altering the lyrics by replacing the phrase "Marz-e Porgohar" with "Mihrab va Manbar Ali," describing Iran as the "country of Ali." Haddadian's rendition drew widespread criticism. In response to these events, Tehran authorities installed a mural in Enghelab Square featuring a photo of Khamenei with the phrase "Ey Iran Bekhan" (Sing Ey Iran), referencing the Supreme Leader's request to Karimi. The Russian Embassy in Tehran posted a video of Karimi's performance on its social media, captioned "Long live Great Iran," despite domestic criticisms of Russia's perceived inaction during the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic. Political analysts have noted that Khamenei's use of nationalist and patriotic symbolism during the wartime period reflects a common tactic among authoritarian regimes. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani described Khamenei's absence from public view during the initial attacks as "completely natural" and praised his call for the patriotic song's performance.