Elon Musk pokes Iran’s leadership online as protests spread nationwide

As protests intensify across Iran, the world’s richest man has inserted himself into the moment, triggering both applause and scepticism about how much impact Silicon Valley gestures can really have on the ground.

On January 4, Elon Musk responded to a post by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had declared “we will not give in to the enemy”. Musk replied in Farsi, suggesting Khamenei was delusional.

Days later, Musk’s social media platform X quietly changed the Iranian flag emoji. The emblem used since the 1979 Islamic Revolution was replaced with the pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flag, a symbol some protesters inside and outside Iran have adopted to signal rejection of the current system.

The moves were welcomed by some critics of the Islamic Republic, who see symbolic value in challenging Tehran’s authority online. Others, however, question whether such gestures amount to anything more than digital theatre, particularly as Iran remains largely cut off from the internet.

Protests began on December 28, initially sparked by soaring inflation and the rapid decline of the rial. Since then, demonstrations have spread to more than 100 cities and towns and are now reported in every province.

Many demonstrators are calling for an end to the rule of the clerical establishment, led by Ayatollahs and backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has dominated Iran since the 1979 revolution.

Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989, has weathered multiple waves of unrest, including the mass “Women, Life, Freedom” protests of 2022. But analysts say the current moment may pose one of the most serious challenges yet.

Iranian authorities have imposed a nationwide internet blackout since Thursday, limiting the spread of information. Even so, videos continue to surface showing masked protesters clashing with security forces in several cities.

The semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported that more than 100 security personnel have been killed in recent days. Opposition activists say the death toll is higher and includes hundreds of protesters. Those figures cannot be independently verified.

Musk’s involvement comes after his brief and controversial stint advising US President Donald Trump, where he led the so-called Department of Government Efficiency before stepping away in late May. His time in government, like much of his political commentary, drew heavy criticism.