'I Said We'd Dance on Your..': Woman Who Lit Cigarette With Khamenei's Photo Celebrates His Assassination

New Delhi: A woman who went viral for relighting her cigarette with a flaming picture of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has celebrated the Supreme Leader's death, with videos showing her dancing and singing at an anti-Iran regime rally. 

Celebratory post after airstrikes

Following news of Khamenei’s killing in joint US-Israeli airstrikes, the woman shared another video on X on Sunday.

The clip shows her attending what appeared to be an anti-Iran regime rally in Canada. She was seen dancing and singing at what she described as a celebratory gathering.

“I said we’d dance on your grave, didn’t I?” she wrote in her post.

Viral act of defiance

The woman, who is based in Canada, had earlier drawn global attention after a video showed her setting fire to an A4-sized picture of Khamenei and using the flames to light the cigarette in her mouth. The act was widely shared on social media and became a symbol of defiance against Iran’s clerical regime.

The woman was seen standing outdoors in a snowy setting, dressed in a white coat. She calmly sets the printed photograph ablaze and brings the burning paper close to her cigarette to relight it.

The clip gained traction online amid ongoing protests and dissent against Iran’s leadership. Under the Islamic regime, smoking is among the activities restricted for women, and lighting a cigarette in such a manner was seen by many as a symbolic rejection of those restrictions.

The act was part of a broader trend that has surfaced on social media, where women have been seen burning photographs of Khamenei while lighting cigarettes in protest against the regime.

Global reactions continue

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sparked strong reactions across different parts of the world, with protests, demonstrations and celebrations emerging in multiple countries.

Iran also witnessed starkly contrasting scenes on Sunday as the nation grapples with the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Saturday. 

While state media reported widespread mourning across multiple cities, unverified visuals from the capital, Tehran, showed crowds celebrating the demise of the 85-year-old leader.

Iran's state television confirmed the death early Sunday, describing it as a "martyrdom" and announcing 40 days of public mourning along with a seven-day national holiday. Quranic recitations began airing on state media as the nation braced for a historic leadership transition. 

Celebrations Erupt in Tehran Streets

However, visuals circulating on social media from Tehran painted a dramatically different picture. Large crowds were seen dancing and hooting and allegedly hurling head coverings in the air, and slogans such as "Death to the Israel Republic" and "Long live the Shah" were reportedly heard on the streets.

A video showing women dancing without head coverings was shared by Eylon A. Levy, former spokesman for the State of Israel, who wrote, “Iranian women are dancing in the streets without hair coverings after hearing that Israel killed the tyrant Khamenei. So many Western leaders should feel ashamed at their cowardly response this morning. We will all remember.”

The contrasting visuals highlight the deep divisions within Iranian society regarding the late Supreme Leader, who served as the architect of the country's anti-U.S. stance for decades. 

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