Canadian lawmaker joins viral Iran protest trend, lights cigar with Khamenei image

Canadian MP backs Iran protest trend

Canadian MP Roman Baber joined a viral protest trend linked to demonstrations in Iran by lighting a cigar with a burning photograph of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, while standing outside his office. He shared the video on social media with a blunt two-word caption: “F Khanemei.”

The act echoed an online trend that began circulating after an image of a woman lighting a cigarette using a burning photo of Khamenei went viral. Several women later posted similar videos. The trend did not originate in Iran; the woman in the original viral image was based in Canada. She was dubbed “Morticia Addams” by social media users.

F Khamenei!#FreeIran2026pic.twitter.com/HBaErvCU9Z

— Roman Baber (@Roman_Baber) January 12, 2026

The 25-year-old woman, who lives in Canada, was reportedly arrested during Iran’s November 2019 protests. Explaining her post, she said she shared the image as a symbolic gesture because she could not physically join demonstrations. “Every time I was on the street. This time I couldn’t be. Forgive me, Mother Iran,” she wrote in one post.

The image drew global attention after author JK Rowling shared a poster showing the woman lighting a cigarette from a half-burned portrait of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Rowling wrote: “If you claim to support human rights yet can’t bring yourself to show solidarity with those fighting for their liberty in Iran, you’ve revealed yourself. You don’t give a damn about people being oppressed and brutalized so long as it’s being done by the enemies of your enemies.”

Canada has since praised the courage of Iranians protesting against the regime and strongly condemned the killing of demonstrators. “We strongly condemn the killing of protestors, the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation tactics by the Iranian regime against its own people. Iran must immediately end the use of excessive and lethal force by its security forces including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij against protestors. Too many lives – over 40 to date - have already been lost. The Iranian regime has the responsibility to protect its own population and must allow for the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal,” a joint statement issued by Canada, Australia and the European Union on January 9 said.

According to human rights organisations, at least 599 people have been killed during two weeks of protests. US President Donald Trump said Iran had proposed negotiations following his threat to strike the Islamic Republic, as the crackdown on demonstrators has resulted in hundreds of deaths. Trump said late Sunday that his administration was working to set up a meeting with Tehran. Iran did not immediately acknowledge his remarks and has previously warned that the US military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect protesters.