Devendra Kumar
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed accounts believed to be operated by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly in response to his public backing of a recent attack on Israel that sparked a war in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people. This move marks a significant step in the ongoing debate over online extremism and hate speech. Khamenei’s accounts had been praising the attack on Israel, referring to the attackers as heroes and legitimizing militant anti-Zionism, rhetoric that is a major concern for anti-Semitic groups. Khamenei has long been known for his support of militant groups such as Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US government.
Khamenei’s statement in the wake of the attack was widely condemned by the international community, as he referred to the attackers as heroes and said “We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime.” This rhetoric has sparked widespread violence in the region, including the deaths of over 27,000 Palestinians in Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. The removal of Khamenei’s accounts has been met with praise from anti-defamation groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League, which has long criticized Khamenei’s use of social media to promote anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric.
Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote online that Khamenei “has used these platforms for years to incite violent antisemitism, to legitimise militant anti-Zionism and to make genocidal threats.” The removal of Khamenei’s accounts is a significant development in the ongoing debate over online extremism and hate speech, and it is likely to put pressure on other online platforms, including Twitter, to take similar action. For years, Khamenei has used social media to spread his hateful rhetoric, and Meta’s decision to remove his accounts is a major blow to his ability to do so.
The removal of Khamenei’s accounts is also a major setback for Iran, which has been a major player in the region for decades. Khamenei’s support for militant groups like Hamas has been a major source of tension between Iran and the United States, and the removal of his accounts is a significant development in this ongoing conflict. It remains to be seen whether other online platforms will follow suit, but the removal of Khamenei’s accounts is a significant step in the right direction in the battle against online extremism and hate speech.