Iranian Vigil for Graham Outside Embassy

Iranians held a candlelight vigil in London outside the U.S. embassy to honor South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on Saturday evening at 71 after serving four full terms in the U.S. Senate. The longtime Republican Congressman was a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and was known for his foreign policy acumen.  

As reported by The New York Post:

Members of the Iranian diaspora in London held a candlelight vigil Sunday for Sen. Lindsey Graham hours after the Iran hawk died suddenly at the age of 71.

A few dozen people gathered outside the US Embassy near the Thames River, where they lit candles around a makeshift altar bearing pictures of Graham (R-SC) as well as Iran’s so-called “Lion and Sun” flag, used to communicate resistance to the theocratic regime in Tehran.

“Lindsey Graham, rest in peace,” the crowd chanted. “Rest in peace and rise in power!”

Graham, who died of a suspected aortic dissection at his Washington home Saturday evening, was a longtime advocate of military action against the Islamic Republic — frequently meeting with Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, and wearing “Make Iran Great Again” merchandise during public appearances.

“Lindsey was unabashed. He talked to me about it. He said, ‘You know, you have to do it. You have to do it.’ He came to me and said, ‘Bibi, you have to do it. You have to knock out these nuclear weapons program before they knock us out.’ He was very clear about that,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

“He was so clear, he had clarity, he had courage, he had convictions that he believed were at the basis of America and … like the Superman comics, you remember? ‘Freedom, justice and the American way’? He represented these traditional values,” added the Israeli leader.

Graham had cheered President Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 — and to launch strikes with Israeli forces on Feb. 28 of this year in an attempt to topple the regime. . . .

“People often ask me what should we do next when it comes to the murderous, religious Nazi regime in Iran. It’s pretty simple. Stand by the protesters demanding an end to their oppression,” the South Carolina Republican had said the month before.

Senator Graham was a friend of this show and my family for many years. He was also a vocal figure on the political landscape for decades. It’s fair to say that when you see tributes to a U.S. Senator from around the world, such as this candlelight vigil being held last night in London, this was a man with broad influence. 

When you start thinking about the legacy of Senator Graham, regardless of what the mainstream media may want to tell you, this is someone who was an international statesman, who took action to protect American interests and to promote the good of people around the world. Graham was also a patriot who served his nation in the U.S. Air Force.

This is someone with whom the ACLJ worked closely for decades. He was an individual who fervently fought for the unborn as a strong pro-life advocate, and  we could depend on his support of Israel when it came to foreign policy. He understood that American leadership was crucial to a peaceful world.

My dad, ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, joined the broadcast and described Senator Graham as “someone who understood the importance of the office and the role of the Senate and took the advice and consent role very seriously as a Senator, but was also able to work with his colleagues.”

As my dad put it:

He understood how the Senate worked. He understood the Senate rules. He also understood clearly the role of the United States. He believed the United States, on a global scale, could do good for the world. And that’s one of his key motivations. He was just dealing right before he passed, of course, with Russia and Ukraine, but he was also negotiating with Saudi Arabia for the recognition and establishment of formal ties to Israel. This was one of his life goals. And he was a passionate advocate for America, here in the United States and abroad.

On a personal level, my dad also talked about the close relationship he and the ACLJ had with Senator Graham, stating:

Lindsey and I and . . . the ACLJ had a very close relationship. . . . This is a tragic loss for his family, of course, and a loss for the United States. He was a scholar. He was a statesman. He was our friend. And I just want to emphasize the good that he did for this country.

When you see the many tributes to Senator Graham coming in, not just from Republicans but from Democrats, it’s a true testament to the statesman he was. Even many on the Left said they disagreed on just about everything, but Senator Graham was someone they could work with. He was someone they talked to, who would make them laugh, who didn’t take things personally, and would treat politics the way our forefathers originally designed American politics to be treated. If there’s a silver lining in this sad news, it’s nice to see some humanity coming from the Right and the Left.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of the untimely passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, the tributes pouring in from around the globe, and  speculation about who might fill his seat in the Senate.

Watch the full broadcast below: