DUBAI: Twitter suspended an account linked to Iran’s Supreme leader on Friday after his office posted an image of a golfer resembling former US President Donald Trump under the shadow of a warplane alongside a pledge to avenge a deadly 2020 drone strike the former president ordered.
The account was suspended for violating Twitter’s rules, but another account attributed to Iran’s leader with more than 800,000 followers, was still active.
The post in question carried the text of remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in December, in which he said “Revenge is certain,” renewing a vow of vengeance ahead of the first anniversary of the killing of top military commander General Qassem Soleimani in the attack in Iraq.
“Those who ordered the murder of General Soleimani as well as those who carried this out should be punished. This revenge will certainly happen at the right time,” Khamenei tweeted on December 16, without naming Trump, who had ordered the strike.
READ MORE: Does Twitter’s Trump ban expose a dangerous double standard?
Earlier this month, Twitter removed a tweet by Khamenei in which he said US and British-made vaccines were unreliable and may be intended to “contaminate other nations.” The platform said the tweet violated its rules against misinformation.
There was no apparent immediate action by Twitter over the Persian-language tweet on Friday by Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority.
READ MORE: Twitter deletes Iran’s Khamenei tweet criticizing US, UK COVID-19 vaccines
Tensions rapidly grew between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when Trump exited a 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers that sought to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. Washington reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.
Iran called for action and “not just words” shortly after Joe Biden was sworn in as US president on Wednesday. Biden has said Washington will rejoin the nuclear deal if Iran resumes strict compliance.
* With Reuters
