Since Israel began striking targets in Iran, social media—inside and outside the country—has exploded with videos mocking the regime’s rhetoric and threats. Responses are split: loyalists praise the leadership and taunt Israel, while opposition voices, especially younger Iranians, use the moment to post defiant, often subversive content. Some are even openly calling on Netanyahu to help bring down the regime.
Iran’s youth lead the digital resistance
Roughly a day into the backlash, Iranian authorities reacted by slowing internet access to a crawl and blocking WhatsApp and other platforms. But Iran’s younger generation, long familiar with government censorship, found ways around it using VPNs and other tools to keep information flowing.
Backing them is the Iranian diaspora—some 10 million strong—protesting outside embassies, amplifying footage from inside Iran, and offering vocal support for Israeli attacks on regime infrastructure. Their message is clear: this is the time to rise.
Public confrontation and viral outrage
On the second day of Israeli strikes, as Iran marked the Shiite holiday Eid al-Ghadir, regime supporters and clerics filled the streets. But one viral video captured a woman confronting a cleric mid-celebration, scolding him: “People are dying and you’re out here celebrating.” The clip drew an outpouring of anti-regime commentary.
Airstrike near Khomenei's home
(Video: Social Media)
Another video featured reformist commentator Ziba Kalam speaking candidly on live TV: “Why does the world condemn Iran for seeking nuclear weapons but not Pakistan? Because Iran says it wants nukes to destroy Israel. What did you expect Israel to do?”
Symbolic mockery spreads online
Following confirmation of IRGC commander Hossein Salami’s death—linked to the 2024 missile attack on Israel and internal crackdowns—another video resurfaced showing him as a child, pretending to launch toy rockets at Israel. His infamous threats now appear in the background, turned into satire.
One viral clip, originally posted by Iran’s police force, shows officers shielding their heads with Qurans. The sarcastic caption: “The regime’s new defense against Israeli missiles.” It quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of shares and mocking comments.
Footage from inside Iran keeps coming
A widely shared video shows a woman filming protests and fires from her car, urging demonstrators to burn down Khomeini’s house. “May your hands be strong,” she says, as the crowd cheers.
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Another clip shows private jets taking off from Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport—despite Iranian airspace officially being closed. According to the caption, the passengers were regime elites fleeing the country. The video’s message: “No flights are landing, but planes are leaving Mehrabad.”
While it’s impossible to know how many Iranians still back the regime, social media offers a window into a different reality. Dissenting voices are growing louder, more creative, and increasingly supportive of Israeli strikes.
Burning a photo of Khomeini
One clip shows people burning Khomeini’s portrait. Another, perhaps the most defiant, features a young man from Khuzestan—home to several ethnic minorities—smashing Khomeini’s image while speaking directly to the camera in Arabic. The caption reads: “Khomeini’s regime is nearing its end.”