‘This one too will be overthrown’: Khamenei targets Trump with provocative cartoon

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei posted a cartoon depicting Trump as a crumbling sarcophagus, warning that tyrants are overthrown. The move comes amid deadly protests in Iran and rising US-Iran tensions, with Trump hinting at possible negotiations or action.

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has escalated his war of words with the United States by launching a direct and symbolic attack on Donald Trump, sharing a provocative cartoon on social media at a time when the Islamic Republic is facing its deadliest wave of unrest in years.

The image posted on X portrayed Trump as a crumbling, ancient Egyptian-style sarcophagus, accompanied by the message, “This one too will be overthrown.” The post was widely seen as a deliberate taunt, linking the US President to fallen tyrants from history and suggesting that his power, too, would prove temporary.

In a strongly worded message, Khamenei warned leaders who rule with what he described as arrogance and pride that history has a way of catching up with them. Drawing parallels with despised figures from the past, he wrote, “That father figure who sits there with arrogance and pride, passing judgment on the entire world, he too should know that usually the tyrants and oppressors of the world, such as Pharaoh and Nimrod and Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza and the likes of them, when they were at the peak of their pride, were overthrown, This one too will be overthrown.”

Khamenei’s remarks come as Iran is gripped by widespread anti-government protests and an intensifying crackdown. Rights groups say hundreds have been killed as security forces move aggressively to suppress demonstrations. The unrest has pushed tensions between Tehran and Washington to a new high, with rhetoric hardening on both sides.

Trump, for his part, has claimed that Iranian leaders are now seeking negotiations after the US issued strong warnings over the crackdown on protesters. Speaking to reporters, the US President said contacts had already been made. “They called to negotiate. Yesterday, the leaders of Iran called. They want to negotiate. I think they’re tired of being beaten up by the United States. We may meet with them. I mean, a meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up,” Trump said.

Trump also stated that he is in touch with Iranian opposition leaders and has not ruled out military action. Earlier, he said strikes were being considered following reports that protesters had been killed during the demonstrations.

Asked aboard Air Force One whether Iran had crossed a “red line,” Trump responded, “They’re starting to. There seem to be some people killed.” He added that the situation was being taken seriously by Washington.

With protests continuing inside Iran and the exchange of threats growing sharper, the confrontation between Tehran and Washington is entering a volatile phase, marked by symbolism, public warnings, and the looming possibility of direct action.