The viral ‘smoking girl’ of the Iranian protests—famous for using a flaming image of Ali Khamenei to light her cigarette—has reacted to the news of his killing. Her viral act of defiance has taken on new significance following the strikes that eliminated the Supreme Leader.
In a post on X, she posted a video of herself taking part in an anti-Iran regime rally in Canada. The woman, who uses the pseudonym Morticia Addams, wrote: “I said we’d dance on your grave, did’I?” She is currently based in Canada.
In a separate post, she was seen “cheering to mooshali’s pathetic death”. “As the president (Donald) Trump said, “He died like a rat.”
In January, Addams had gone viral when a video showed her setting fire to an A4 picture of Khamenei and using it to re-spark the cigarette in her mouth.
For her own protection, she operates under a pseudonym, citing a traumatic journey from Iran—where she was a dissident subjected to arrest and abuse—to the safety of Turkey. Now residing in Toronto on a student visa, she has reportedly established a new life in Canada after her harrowing escape.
Khamenei was killed on Saturday after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Khamenei’s compound in Tehran had been destroyed.
Iranian media said Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law were also killed in the strikes.
Iran’s Cabinet vowed that this “great crime will never go unanswered”, and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its “most intense offensive operation” ever, targeting Israeli and American bases.
However, US President Donald Trump warned that any retaliation would only lead to further escalation.
