Why Iranian women are lighting cigarettes from burning Khamenei photos

The bloody mass uprising in Iran has witnessed a new trend. Visuals of Iranian women lighting cigarettes from burnt photos of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have become one of the lasting images of the anti-government protests that have rocked the Middle Eastern country for the past two weeks. The trend has become a symbol of defiance in a country known for rigid social restrictions and curbs on women's rights.

The development comes as protests against the theocratic regime of 86-year-old Khamenei have only swelled in recent days in defiance of a crackdown. The protests, which erupted over the economy and soaring prices, have quickly snowballed into a broader agitation against the Khamenei regime and corruption. Unlike the past, the protesters are not merely seeking reform, but rejecting the Islamic Republic itself.

Since December 28, the people of Iran, the young and the aged alike, have filled the streets of the capital, Tehran, and other cities. Slogans like "Death to Khamenei" and "Pahlavi will return" have reverberated across Iran. A section of protesters has demanded the return of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, who was overthrown during the 1979 revolution.

SYMBOL OF DEFIANCE

However, amid the slogans, images of Iranian women lighting cigarettes from burning photographs of the Supreme Leader have gone viral and grabbed the attention of social media.

Such a type of dissent, however, is not new and was seen during the massive protests in 2022 that erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini was arrested by Iran's "morality police" over her "inappropriate" dress.

In the Islamic nation, burning images of the Supreme Leader is a serious offence under the law. Smoking for women is also restricted.

In fact, last year, an Iranian, Omid Sarlak, posted a video on social media showing him setting fire to a photo Khamenei. However, hours after the video emerged, his body was found inside his car.

Tehran's main prosecutor has indicated that those involved in such acts and protesters burning government buildings would face the death penalty. It has, however, fallen on deaf ears as the protests raged on Saturday, with a doctor in Tehran putting the death toll at 200.

Unverified visuals showing Iranian women purportedly burning their headscarves have also emerged on social media.

"Young Iranian women are leading the revolution against the Islamic regime," Dr Maalouf, a geopolitical expert, tweeted. Clay Travis, an author and lawyer, posted, "This is braver than anything an American feminist has done in the 21st century."

"Iranian women celebrate their fight for freedom by showing their hair and burning a photo of Khamenei to light their cigarettes," another tweeted.

The visuals suggest that the protesters are not only challenging the state but pushing back against strict social controls for women.

In fact, the protests by Iranian women has not been restricted to any age. Another video that has gone viral shows an elderly Iranian woman, with blood on her face, defiantly shouting, "I am not afraid. I have been dead for 47 years."

The symbolic rejection of Iran's sexist and authoritarian policies have only doubled the woes of Khamenei.

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