Tehran: In a striking symbol of defiance, Iranian women are setting fire to photographs of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and using the flames to light their cigarettes.
Viral videos and images of this bold act have flooded social media, capturing global attention amid escalating nationwide protests against the Islamic regime.
The trend, which emerged in early January, merges two powerful acts of rebellion: burning the Supreme Leader’s image — a serious offence under Iranian law — and publicly smoking, long stigmatised and restricted for women in the country. By combining these, protesters are openly rejecting both political authority and decades-old social controls, including mandatory hijab rules.
The protests, which began in late December 2025, initially erupted over skyrocketing inflation, soaring food prices, and a collapsing currency. They have since transformed into a broader uprising against the clerical establishment, with chants of “Death to the Dictator” echoing in cities like Tehran, Zahedan, and others. This latest symbolic gesture builds on the spirit of the 2022 Mahsa Amini movement, sparked by the young woman’s death in custody over hijab violations, which ignited widespread calls for women’s rights and regime change.
While some videos show women calmly igniting cigarettes with the burning portraits, others feature hijabs set ablaze. The images, shared widely on platforms like X, remain unverified independently but are hailed as “historic” by activists.
In response, authorities have imposed a nationwide internet blackout — criticised by Amnesty International as an effort to conceal human rights abuses — and intensified crackdowns on demonstrators.
As economic despair fuels anger, these creative acts of resistance highlight the determination of Iranian women to challenge the status quo, one flame at a time.