"Woman Is Like A Flower": Iran Supreme Leader's Old Posts Are Viral

Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, social media users have dug up old, bizarre posts of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the posts, Mr Khamenei can be seen musing about women's rights, liking poetry, standing up for the Black Lives Matter movement, reading the Indian prime minister's book and mentioning how he was 'naughty' and 'playful' as a kid.

Some of the posts date back at least a decade and paint a starkly different portrait of Mr Khamenei. Social media users were surprised by the posts, with some stating they had perhaps harshly judged the 86-year-old leader -- the most senior cleric in the extremist Islamic Republic.

In a series of women-centric posts, Mr Khamenei stood up for the fairer sex whilst also dishing out love advice.

"Man has a responsibility to understand #woman's needs and feelings and must not be neglectful toward her #emotional state," he wrote.

Man has a responsibility to understand #woman's needs and feelings and must not be neglectful toward her #emotional state

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 15, 2013

Women are stronger than men. Women can completely control and influence men with their wisdom and delicacy. May 11, 2013

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 7, 2018

Social media users were quick to react, with one X user replying: "I apologise, ayatollah khamenei, I was unfamiliar with your game."

i apologize, ayatollah khamenei, i was unfamiliar with your game https://t.co/yXH72eQg94

— Sam 👁️ (@SamtheNightOwl) June 20, 2025

Another wrote: "Born to be a lover, forced to be the supreme leader."

Born to be a lover, forced to be the supreme leader https://t.co/HMWmPtF1iN

— Ahad|| (@yeagerexcelency) June 19, 2025

In one post from 2013, Mr Khamenei recalled his awkward school days. “I went 2school w/a cloak since1st days; it was uncomfortable 2wear it in front f other kids, but I tried 2make up 4it by being naughty&playful,” he wrote.

I went 2school w/a cloak since1st days;it was uncomfortable 2wear it in front f other kids,but I tried 2make up 4it by being naughty&playful

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 24, 2013

I'm not into cinema and visual arts but when it comes to poetry and novels, I'm not just a typical audience. #Books #AvidReader

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) February 25, 2015

Mr Khamenei even commented on reading a book by India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to understand the country's past.

"Before studying "Glimpses of World History" by Mr. #Nehru I didn't know #India before colonization had undergone so many important #advances"

Before studying "Glimpses of World History" by Mr. #Nehru I didn't know #India before colonization had undergone so many important #advances

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) August 6, 2013

A third commented: "Ayatollah Khamenei is the first guy to be uncancelled after old tweets resurfaced."

The posts have surfaced at a time when the Iranian leader has vowed not to surrender even as Israel and the US continue to pile pressure. Mr Khamenei recently threatened that if the US got involved in the ongoing conflict, it would bring "irreparable damage to them".