Striking images of Iranian women lighting cigarettes using burning photographs of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have emerged as a powerful symbol of defiance amid nationwide protests shaking Iran. The demonstrations, which began in late December, have grown into one of the most serious challenges to the country’s clerical establishment since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The visuals, widely shared on social media but not independently verified, show women openly burning images of the supreme leader—an act considered a serious crime under Iranian law. In several clips, protesters are also seen discarding or burning their headscarves, directly rejecting Iran’s mandatory hijab rules.

The symbolism behind these acts is deliberate. Smoking by women has long been discouraged or restricted in many parts of Iran, while any insult to the supreme leader is treated as a grave offence. By combining both acts in public, protesters are signaling open resistance to state authority and long-standing social controls.

The unrest follows years of growing anger, particularly after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating dress regulations. That incident sparked widespread protests and became a rallying point for women-led dissent across the country.

According to medical sources cited by international media, at least 217 protesters have reportedly died so far, many due to live ammunition, based on records from a limited number of hospitals. As the demonstrations intensified, Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown and restricted phone services, effectively cutting off communication with the outside world.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, said the blackout was aimed at concealing the scale of violence used to suppress the protests. Internet watchdog NetBlocks also confirmed widespread disruptions across the country.

In Tehran’s Sa’adat Abad neighbourhood, residents were seen banging pots from their homes and chanting slogans mocking Khamenei, while motorists honked horns in solidarity. In his first public response to the unrest, Khamenei described the protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs.”

The protests have also drawn international attention. US President Donald Trump warned that Iran’s leadership was facing serious trouble and suggested military action remained an option. Meanwhile, leaders from France, the United Kingdom and Germany issued a joint statement condemning the killing of protesters and urging Iranian authorities to show restraint.

As the demonstrations continue, the viral images of women burning Khamenei’s photographs have come to represent more than anger—they reflect a broader challenge to Iran’s political and social order, led by citizens willing to openly defy laws once considered untouchable.

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