ISTANBUL 

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted an image on social media on Monday depicting US President Donald Trump as an ancient pharaoh, warning that he would ultimately face the same fate as past tyrants.

The image, shared on Khamenei’s official account on US social media company X, shows a crumbling pharaonic-style sarcophagus bearing a likeness of Trump, accompanied by the caption: “Like Pharaoh.”

In a message posted alongside the image in Persian, Khamenei said that arrogant rulers who seek to dominate the world, such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza, were overthrown at the height of their power.

“This one too will be overthrown,” he added.

The post comes amid recent threats by Trump against Iran’s leadership, including remarks linked to protests and internal unrest in the country.

Iran has been rocked by protests since Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, because of the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several cities.

There are no official casualty figures, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based rights group, estimates that the death toll has reached at least 544, including both security forces and protesters, with over 1,000 injured.

HRANA also reported that at least 10,681 people have been detained across protests in 585 locations nationwide, including 186 cities in all 31 provinces.

At least 109 Iranian security members were also killed during unrest sweeping several parts of the country over the past few days, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel reported Sunday, citing Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.