Canadian MP lights cigar with Khamenei's burning photo amid Iran protest, joins viral trend | WATCH
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Canadian MP lights cigar with Khamenei's burning photo amid Iran protest, joins viral trend | WATCH")
Canadian MP lights cigar with Khamenei's burning photo amid Iran protest | WATCH Photograph: (X)
Amid intensifying Iran protests, Canadian MP Roman Baber joined a viral trend by lighting a cigar from a burning photo of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Protests over economic collapse have killed hundreds and grown into a global movement demanding an end to Iran’s clerical regime.
Amid intensifying protest in Iran, Canadian MP Roman Baber on Monday (Jan 13) joined a viral social media trend in which woman are seen lighting a cigar from a burning photo of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranians are protesting against the economic conditions in the country and demanding the end of clerical regime. Old images of Iranian women lighting cigarettes using burnt photographs of Khamenei have gone viral even as Iran blocked internet in the country, cutting it off from the world. The protest have led to the deaths of 646 people, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Taking to X, Baber, a member of the House of Commons of Canada, posted a video showing him standing outside his office and burning a photo of Khamenei. He then proceeded to light a cigar from the photo, following a trend that has drawn attention for Iranian women’s courage and pushback against rigid social restrictions. He captioned the post, “F Khamenei!” and used “#FreeIran2026” as the hashtag.
Iran Protest: What we know
People of Iran took to streets against the collapsing economy of the country in December 2025. The protest that was started by traders and shopkeepers as a part of falling rate of Iranian Rial snowballed into challenge against the clerical regime, with demands for the removal of the country’s supreme leader Khamenei. Some protesters chanted slogans in favour of Iran's exiled Crown Prince and son of Shah, Reza Pahlavi prompting his response. He has actively supported the protest from afar and has also hinted homecoming.
Protests have also spread to other countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Turkiye, and Pakistan, in solidarity with the protesters in Iran. The Iranian government has blamed the US and Israel for iginiting the demonstration and launched a mssive crackdown including internet blockade. US-based rights group HRANA said that over 500 people have been killed, including security forces. The demonstrations in Iran are the most significant since a 2022-2023 movement sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating dress code for women.
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