00:00What do women in Iran, lighting cigarettes with photos of Supreme Leader Khamenei and
00:27massive street protests have in common?
00:30The answer might redefine how we see dissent in Iran today.
00:36In the streets of Tehran and cities across Iran, protests that began in late December
00:41have grown into one of the biggest challenges to the clerical system, which has held power
00:46since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
00:51And now, powerful images are going viral online, showing Iranian women lighting cigarettes
00:57using burned photographs of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and even discarding
01:03their headscarves into flames.
01:07These acts are not just symbolic, they're deliberate and dangerous.
01:11Under Iranian law, burning the Supreme Leader's photo is a serious crime.
01:16And for women to smoke openly, defying strict dress codes and social norms, adds a second
01:22layer of rebellion.
01:24By combining these two acts, protesters are challenging not only state authority, but
01:29also decades of strict social restrictions, pushing back against rules that govern even
01:35the smallest personal freedoms.
01:38The protests began over soaring food prices and record high inflation, but have now evolved
01:43into a broader anti-government movement, and a clear signal that many Iranians are no longer
01:49willing to stay silent.
01:52The response from authorities has been harsh.
01:55Reports suggest at least 217 protesters have died, mostly from live ammunition, according to
02:01hospitals in Tehran.
02:03And the government has cut internet access and telephone lines, effectively isolating the
02:07country to suppress the protests.
02:11Despite this, defiance continues.
02:13In northern Tehran, residents bang pots and shout slogans mocking the supreme leader, while
02:19passing cars honk in solidarity with the demonstrators.
02:23In his first public remarks on the unrest, Khamenei called the protesters vandals and saboteurs,
02:29while U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran's leadership could be in big trouble,
02:35and hinted at potential military action.
02:38Meanwhile, international leaders from France, Germany and the U.K. have condemned the killings
02:43and urged restraint, highlighting the growing global concern over Iran's escalating crisis.
02:50These iconic images—women burning Khamenei's photos, discarding their hijabs, lighting cigarettes—have
02:57become more than just a viral sensation.
02:59They are a visual representation of a larger movement—a movement demanding freedom, accountability,
03:06and change in a country where dissent has long been dangerous.
03:11And as Iran continues to wrestle with this unprecedented wave of protest, the world is watching.
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