Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenie, recently sent out a highly problematic, violent-rhetoric-filled tweet about Donald Trump:
https://twitter.com/RealKyleMorris/status/1352472665198653442
The tweet contained an image of a golfer resembling Trump apparently being targeted by a drone. pic.twitter.com/E5iBZVc6aB
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) January 22, 2021
Translation pic.twitter.com/3vsZh0uW2b
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) January 21, 2021
Here’s a screenshot of the tweet:
Hi Twitter,
This account is affiliated to #Iran's dictator @Khamenei_ir.
He is using this platform to threaten former U.S. President Donald Trump & other American officials.No flag? No warning?
Does he enjoy certain privileges, @jack? pic.twitter.com/LhFtInfRGl
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) January 21, 2021
Well, Heshmat, as it happens, Khamenei does not enjoy certain privileges. Twitter may have waited until today to act, but the reason that we had to include a screenshot of Khamenei’s tweet is that his account as been suspended.
https://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/1352623586452901888
Only took 10 years of violent rhetoric! https://t.co/vNG6GDHrTg
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) January 22, 2021
So, problem solved! Don’t you dare try to tell anyone that Twitter demonstrated blatant and brazen bias by suspending Donald Trump while giving Khamenei a pass!
Unless, of course, you decide to take a closer look at Twitter’s decisive action:
Twitter has suspended the @Khamenei_Site account of Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei, though his main account (@Khamenei_IR) is still up. pic.twitter.com/Ku9Y7S7voc
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) January 22, 2021
Twitter suspended ONE account for #Iran’s Khamenei for violating rules and inciting violence against Trump.
He still has at least 4 accounts with 100x followers of this: pic.twitter.com/m4ZpuCEE6w
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) January 22, 2021
Oh.
So, in other words, Twitter’s action really wasn’t that decisive after all.
Twitter suspends one of the Ayatollah’s account but his main account remains active.
Donald Trump can’t tweet but the terrorist leader of Iran still can pic.twitter.com/01Dp9bNzw6
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 22, 2021
Go figure.
OK, well, if Twitter’s not going to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to textbook incitement of violence, maybe at least our new president can:
Can we get an update from @JoeBiden on this? The Supreme Leader of Iran is threatening a former American President. That should end all relations the Biden had wanted with the regime. https://t.co/2qvDnPzVbC
— kaitlin, holy RINO batman (@thefactualprep) January 22, 2021
***
Update:
There are some reports that the account Twitter suspended didn’t actually belong to Khamenei:
JUST IN: Twitter clarifies that suspended account, which media outlets had linked to Iran's Supreme Leader, was a fake.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) January 22, 2021
OK, well, if that’s the case … that really doesn’t make Twitter look any better, does it? Because it suggests that they’re just flat-out bending over for the real Ayatollah Khamenei.
Khamenei’s official account has been spewing violent rhetoric for years now, and Twitter’s making it clear that they’re not going to take any meaningful action against it.
They would never suspend the real Supreme Leader's account.
— Jeremiah K ✝️ (@jeremiahk2017) January 22, 2021
Cowards.
Yup Twitter doesn't have the balls to ban REAL DICTATORS.
Even though the DICTATOR banned TWITTER for all IRANIANS!
— Dennis N (@DennisN) January 22, 2021
***
Update:
More from the AP:
In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, a Twitter spokesman said that the tweet had violated the company’s “abusive behavior policy,” and that the account had violated its “manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts,” without elaborating.
Other accounts thought to be tied to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s office remained active.
So, Twitter’s cited reason for suspending the account was that it violated the “manipulation and spam policy”? Does that mean Khamenei’s main verified account is safe unless he starts using it for spam or something?
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