An Iranian dissident who previously went viral for burning a photograph of Ali Khamenei has resurfaced online, celebrating the reported death of the Iranian leader following coordinated military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
The woman, known on social media by the pseudonym Morticia Addams, shared videos and posts on X expressing satisfaction over the development. She is currently believed to be living in Canada.
Viral figure from anti-regime protests
Morticia Addams first drew international attention earlier this year when a video showed her lighting a cigarette using a burning picture of Khamenei. The clip spread rapidly across social media platforms and was widely viewed as a symbolic act of defiance during anti-government protests in Iran.
At the time, the footage became one of the most shared visuals associated with demonstrations that erupted across several Iranian cities. Protesters had been voicing anger over economic hardships, political repression and long-standing grievances related to women’s rights.
The dissident has said she uses a pseudonym to protect her identity. In earlier statements online, she claimed that she had been detained and mistreated in Iran because of her activism before eventually fleeing the country.
She reportedly first escaped to Turkey and later obtained a student visa that allowed her to relocate to Toronto, Canada.
Celebration at anti-Iran rally
Following reports of Khamenei’s death, the activist posted a video from what appeared to be an anti-Iranian government rally in Canada. In the caption, she wrote that she had promised critics that she would “dance on your grave.”
In another post, she described the Iranian leader’s death in harsh terms while quoting comments attributed to former US President Donald Trump.
The posts quickly circulated online, drawing both support from critics of the Iranian government and criticism from others who viewed the comments as provocative.
Khamenei killed in coordinated military operation
Reports indicate that Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed on Saturday during a series of coordinated strikes conducted by the United States and Israel targeting key locations across Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation destroyed Khamenei’s compound in Tehran. Iranian state media later reported that several members of his family were also killed during the attack.
