In a series of tweets on Sunday, the account attacked what it said was America’s hypocrisy over the Ferguson protests. It went as far as contrasting the Biblical motive of Jesus suffering for the oppressed to the alleged US police oppression of African-Americans.
In this Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 file photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei listens to a speaker during a meeting in his tour in northeastern Iran. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader, File)
“#Jesus endured sufferings to oppose tyrants who had put humans in hell in this world& the hereafter while he backed the oppressed. #Ferguson,” @khamenei_ir tweeted.
It's expected that followers of #Jesus follow him in his fight against arrogants and in his support for the oppressed. #BlackLivesMatter
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) December 28, 2014
In one of the tweets, the Muslim cleric also made a connection between the struggle that black people in America endure in the face of police shootings and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
“If #Jesus were among us today he wouldn’t spare a second to fight the arrogants & support the oppressed. #Ferguson #Gaza,” the tweet said.
#Ferguson #GazaUnderAttack #ICantBreathe #WakeUpCall #Gaza pic.twitter.com/Ldv8jXleSS
— darius (@darius_winn) December 20, 2014
https://twitter.com/Okhowa/status/537948650950115328
This is not the first time that Khamenei’s Twitter account has criticized the US over police brutality against black people, as it also reacted to the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager who was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9.
Back in August, the account said that African-Americans are still oppressed and discriminated against in the US.
Today like previous years, African-Americans are still under pressure, oppressed and subjected to discrimination. #Ferguson
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) August 17, 2014
Following a grand jury’s decision not to indict Wilson on November 24, the supreme leader tweeted that Washington was being dishonest with its own people.
“At events in #Ferguson US is fighting w its ppl. #BlackLivesMatter,” the message said.
Demonstrators flee as police fire tear gas during a demonstration to protest the death 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri (AFP Photo / Jewel Samad)
Khamenei’s English account has never been verified by Twitter. It is believed that the account is managed by the leader’s office, which has neither confirmed nor denied the fact.