Twitter blocks account associated with Khamenei

(A7) Twitter said on Saturday it had permanently suspended an account linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that posted a video calling for revenge for a top general’s assassination against former US President Donald Trump.

“The account referenced has been permanently suspended for violating our ban evasion policy,” a Twitter spokesperson told AFP.

The account, @KhameneiSite, posted an animated video showing an unmanned aircraft targeting Trump, who ordered a drone strike in Baghdad two years ago that killed top Iranian commander General Qassem Soleimani.

The recent video, titled “Revenge is Definite”, was also posted on Khamenei’s official website.

According to Twitter, the company’s top priority is keeping people safe and protecting the health of the conversation on the platform.

The social media giant says it has clear policies around abusive behavior and will take action when violations are identified.

Iran in 2020 issued an arrest warrant against Trump and asked for Interpol’s aid in detaining him in the killing of Soleimani.

Interpol swiftly rejected the request, saying its guidelines for notices forbids it from “any intervention or activities of a political” nature.

Last week, Iran announced it seeks to prosecute 127 suspects, who were not named, for involvement and cooperation in the elimination of Soleimani.

Days later, the Islamic Republic imposed sanctions on dozens of Americans, many of them from the US military, over the 2020 killing of Soleimani.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan later warned that Iran will face severe consequences if it attacks Americans, including any of those it sanctioned.