Top Iran Leader Posts Trump-Like Golfer Image, Vows Revenge

This image posted by Ayatollah Khamanei on Twitter shows a figure of former US President Donald Trump playing golf. (Twitter photo)
This image posted by Ayatollah Khamanei on Twitter shows a figure of former US President Donald Trump playing golf. (Twitter photo)
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Top Iran Leader Posts Trump-Like Golfer Image, Vows Revenge

This image posted by Ayatollah Khamanei on Twitter shows a figure of former US President Donald Trump playing golf. (Twitter photo)
This image posted by Ayatollah Khamanei on Twitter shows a figure of former US President Donald Trump playing golf. (Twitter photo)

The Twitter account of Iran’s Supreme Leader on Friday carried the image of a golfer resembling former President Donald Trump apparently being targeted by a drone, vowing revenge over the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone attack.

The post 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.

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.

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.



Fighter Jets, Refueling Aircraft, Frigate: UK Assets in Mideast

A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
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Fighter Jets, Refueling Aircraft, Frigate: UK Assets in Mideast

A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
A Eurofighter Typhoon at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP

Britain is deploying extra fighter jets and other assets to the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said.

Below, AFP takes a look at the UK's military presence in the region.

'Contingency support'

Starmer told reporters travelling with him on his plane to Canada for G7 talks on Saturday that Britain was "moving assets to the region, including jets... for contingency support".

The jets are Eurofighter Typhoon planes, according to Britain's defense ministry.

Additional refueling aircraft have also been deployed from UK bases, according to Downing Street.

Royal Air Force fighter planes are already in the region as part of Operation Shader, the codename given to Britain's contribution to the international campaign against the ISIS group.

RAF Typhoon jets aided Israel in April 2024 when they shot down an unspecified number of drones fired by Iran, as confirmed by the UK's then-prime minister, Rishi Sunak.

Starmer, Sunak's successor, refused to speculate whether the UK would become directly involved this time in the conflict between the arch foes, which entered their fourth day on Monday.

Iran threatened to target American, British and French bases if Western countries intervened to stop Iranian strikes on Israel.

Tehran also urged London, Paris and Berlin to pressure Israel to stop its deadly attacks on Iran.