Iranian women are engaging in a new form of protest by burning photographs of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to light cigarettes. This act, shared widely on social media, is seen as a direct challenge to the government's authority and strict social rules, including mandatory hijab laws. The protests occur amid significant economic hardship, including soaring inflation and a weakening currency, and build upon the movement sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in 2022. Burning the Supreme Leader's image is a serious offense in Iran.