Last Friday at prayers in Tehran, Iran’s “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ranted against the United States.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, leads Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Oct. 13, 2006. Khamenei on Friday accused the United States of promoting terrorism and religious division in Iraq. ‘The reality there (in Iraq) is occupiers who intervene in all Iraqi internal affairs. … Worse and more dangerous is that, based on plenty of evidence, they (Americans) promote terrorism in Iraq in the name of Shiite and Sunni Islam,’Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told thousands of worshippers in Tehran. From right to left at the first row President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, parliament speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, judiciary chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi and Secretary of Guardian Council Ahmad Jannati pray. (AP Photo)

I know. Big deal. They’re always ranting against the United States.

But Khamenei showed up to this prayer session packing an AK-47.

(Hat tip: Gateway Pundit.)

UPDATE at 10/16/06 2:46:08 pm:

Here’s another photo with a caption that totally ignores the Islamic leader’s weapon:

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers his sermon during Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Oct. 13, 2006. Khamenei on Friday accused the United States of promoting terrorism and religious division in Iraq. ‘The reality there (in Iraq) is occupiers who intervene in all Iraqi internal affairs. … Worse and more dangerous is that, based on plenty of evidence, they (Americans) promote terrorism in Iraq in the name of Shiite and Sunni Islam,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told thousands of worshippers in Tehran. (AP Photo)

UPDATE at 10/16/06 2:56:21 pm:

LGF reader “Pawn of the Oppressor” says that’s not an AK-47, but a Persian Mauser—and this wasn’t an unusual event.

It was, and is, used in official Friday prayer ceremonies. The speaker is required to have ‘the weapon of the day’ by his side, according to the tradition of the Prophet (he apparently used a sword).