On October 28, 2024, X (formerly Twitter) suspended a newly created account representing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that was posting in Hebrew. The suspension notice stated that the account had violated X’s rules, although specific reasons were not disclosed, and X has not responded to requests for clarification.
The account had launched the previous day with a message in Hebrew, “In the name of God, the most merciful,” a customary Islamic greeting. A second post, mirroring Khamenei’s recent speech, warned Israel against misjudging Iran’s strength following Israel’s first direct military action against Iran over ongoing regional tensions.
While Khamenei’s office has multiple accounts on X in various languages, this is not the first instance of a suspension. In February, Meta had removed his Facebook and Instagram accounts due to support for Hamas after the October 2023 attack on Israel. Despite such blocks, Iranian citizens typically access these platforms through virtual private networks (VPNs), as social media sites remain restricted in Iran.
