Iranian refugee’s viral act of defiance spreads amid regime crackdown

A viral video showing an Iranian refugee lighting a cigarette using a burning image of Iran’s supreme leader has become a global flashpoint as protests rock the Islamic Republic and President Donald Trump weighs military action against the regime.

The Associated Press reported the 34-second video shows a woman believed to be living in Canada igniting a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – a capital crime in Iran – before calmly lighting a cigarette and letting the image fall to the ground.

The images accompanying this story show protesters recreating the act at demonstrations outside Iran, not the woman featured in the original viral video.

The footage has spread rapidly across social media as Iran’s government carries out a violent crackdown on dissent that activists say has killed thousands.

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The video has been shared millions of times across platforms such as X, Instagram and Reddit, with many viewers seeing it as a stark act of defiance against Iran’s clerical rulers.

Others have questioned whether the moment was spontaneous or staged, highlighting the growing skepticism that surrounds viral images in an age of artificial intelligence and information warfare.

What is undisputed is the symbolism of the act. In Iran, burning an image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can be punishable by death.

Smoking in public is considered immodest, and women are legally required to wear hijabs. In the brief clip, the woman defies all three norms at once, appearing without a headscarf as her hair hangs close to the flame.

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The gesture has leapt from the digital world into the real one. Photos and videos have surfaced from protests in Europe, Israel and the U.S. showing demonstrators lighting cigarettes using images of Khamenei, mimicking what has become known online as the “cigarette girl” moment.

Iranian state media has announced wave after wave of arrests, targeting those it labels “terrorists” and seizing Starlink satellite internet equipment – often the only way videos can escape the country during government-imposed internet blackouts.

Activists say the regime has intensified repression in recent weeks as unrest spreads amid economic collapse and political instability.

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The AP reported the woman has described herself in interviews with other outlets as an Iranian refugee living in Toronto, and said she fled Iran after repeated arrests and abuse by security forces.

She filmed the video on Jan. 7, according to The AP – one day before Iran imposed a near-total internet blackout. She did so to show solidarity with “friends” inside the country, she said. She has asked that her real name not be published, citing fears for her safety and for family members who remain in Iran.

The video’s explosive reach underscores how social media has become a central battleground in modern conflicts, with images shaping global perception faster than governments can control them.

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As Trump weighs next steps toward Tehran, the clip has become more than a viral moment – it has become a symbol of resistance, scrutiny and the high stakes of dissent under authoritarian rule.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.