Why Images Of Iranian Women Lighting Cigarettes With Khamenei's Photo Are Going Viral

A striking new protest trend involving Iranian women is rapidly spreading across the global internet, drawing attention to rising unrest inside Iran. Viral videos show women lighting cigarettes by burning photographs of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an act widely seen as an open challenge to the country's political and religious authority.

The trend has gained momentum on social media platforms such as X, Instagram, Reddit and Telegram, with clips being shared and reposted thousands of times worldwide. Observers say the practice has become a powerful symbol of defiance and is increasingly difficult for authorities to contain, even as Iran tightens controls on dissent.

Iranian women spark a new trend by burning images of the Ayatollah in protest
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Burning the image of the Supreme Leader is considered a serious offence under Iranian law. By combining this act with smoking, an activity long restricted or discouraged for women, the protesters appear to be deliberately rejecting both state power and strict social rules, including mandatory hijab enforcement and limitations on women's personal freedoms.

🇮🇷 Las mujeres de Irán vuelven tendencia fotografiarse prendiendo un cigarrillo con la foto en llamas del líder supremo, Ali Jamenei. pic.twitter.com/ufYLoNaphU

— Progresismo Out Of Context (@OOCprogresismo2) January 9, 2026

The viral trend comes at a time when Iran is facing mounting economic pressure. Soaring inflation, a sharply weakening currency and rising food prices have fuelled public anger and renewed protests in cities across the country. Demonstrators have also been reported burning images of senior leaders and damaging statues linked to the ruling establishment.

This form of protest builds on the movement that followed the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. While large street demonstrations have been forcefully suppressed, resistance has increasingly shifted to symbolic acts that can spread instantly online.

Despite warnings from authorities, the growing circulation of these videos suggests the trend has become a global digital phenomenon, keeping Iranian women's resistance in the international spotlight.