Media: Khamenei accused of sharing old photos as footage of new pro-regime rallies

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has shared images on social media that he described as showing fresh mass demonstrations in support of the authorities in Tehran, according to media reports.

In a post on X dated 12 January 2026, the images appear to show thousands of people carrying flags of the Islamic Republic and expressing loyalty to the current leadership, Caliber.Az reports.

Iranian Nation Made a Historic Day

These great rallies, overflowing with your firm determination, have completely shattered the foreign enemies’ plots that were supposed to be carried out by internal hirelings.

Imam Khamenei
Jan. 12, 2026 pic.twitter.com/79nwASA5fY

— Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) January 13, 2026

However, German newspaper BILD reports that the photographs are not recent. The outlet claims the images were originally taken on January 5, 2020 during the funeral of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. At the time, the scenes were widely circulated by international media.

According to the reports, the alleged reuse of the images comes amid ongoing protests across Iran, which have spread to most of the country’s major cities. The demonstrations are seen as one of the most serious challenges to the Iranian authorities in recent years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev