The End of the Year of the Snake: A Terrifying Scene for Xi Jinping Emerges

An Iranian woman rushes to the tower, setting fire to a portrait of Khamenei! (Internet image)

[People News] Recently, a photo has gone viral on social media. The image is simple yet evokes fear in dictators: an Iranian girl, without a headscarf, appears calm as she ignites a photo and uses the flames to light a cigarette.

This is not just any piece of paper; it is a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

According to a report by Wang Yue from the Sound of Hope, this scene touches on two significant taboos in Iranian society. Burning the Supreme Leader's portrait could be considered a serious political crime, while women smoking in public has long been labelled as 'immoral behaviour' by official discourse. She combined these two taboos without any slogans, shouts, or even a tragic expression—simply completing the act with calmness, restraint, and almost a sense of contempt.

The anger on the streets quickly spread, and protests soon escalated into direct confrontations. Demonstrators burned Khamenei's portrait, stormed government buildings, and clashed violently with security forces. Multiple media outlets report that, as of now, hundreds have died,d and tens of thousands have been arrested.

Since January 8, Iranian authorities have intensified their control measures, implementing nationwide internet and mobile communication blackouts in an attempt to cut off information dissemination and create conditions for further repression.

Khamenei himself later made a public statement, distinguishing between 'reasonable protests' and 'mob riots.' He emphasised a willingness to engage in dialogue while warning of severe punishment for 'destroyers' and accused external forces, such as the United States, of inciting unrest from behind the scenes.

It is noteworthy that the official media and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China have largely remained silent on this issue, which sharply contrasts with their previous frequent comments on the situation in the Middle East. This 'loss of voice' has sparked various interpretations from observers.

Such street protests are not exclusive to Iran; they immediately evoke memories of the events in Hong Kong in 2019. Smart lamp posts, street cameras, and various surveillance devices became explicit targets for protesters. Demonstrators sawed through lamp posts and toppled cameras in plain sight, using umbrellas to obscure views and lasers to disrupt camera lenses. The underlying logic is consistent: dismantling the eyes of authority is akin to undermining authority itself.

In contrast, the white paper movement in mainland China offers a different formal comparison. In 2022, young people raised blank A4 sheets of paper, compelling a sudden reversal of the 'zero-COVID' policy with almost no slogans. The apparent silence on the streets does not indicate the end of resistance. As we approach 2025, with the economy continuing to decline, various collective incidents are surfacing—campus protests, labour rights movements, land disputes—though small in scale, they have never ceased.

Observers note that these seemingly isolated actions point to a common reality: the long-standing anger among the populace is still active, and the implicit resistance to the highly monitored system has never truly vanished.

The wave of protests in Iran has not only heightened tensions for the Tehran authorities but has also attracted significant attention in Beijing. Various overseas media, dissidents, and political analysts believe that Xi Jinping and the senior leadership of the Communist Party are in a state of heightened vigilance for three main reasons.

First, the similarities are striking.

The recent wave of protests in Iran originated from an economic collapse characterised by soaring inflation, a plummeting currency, and difficulties in making ends meet. This situation quickly became politicised, transforming into a nationwide movement against the dictatorial regime and the Supreme Leader. Observers note that this pattern closely resembles the economic downturn, real estate crisis, rising youth unemployment, and social discontent currently facing China. The sight of protesters in Iran burning portraits of Khamenei has, for many, come to symbolize a 'rehearsal for Beijing.'

Secondly, there is an unusual response in domestic public opinion.

Despite the stringent censorship on Chinese social media platforms, videos and discussions related to the Iranian protests have resonated significantly in the comment sections. On platforms such as Douyin and Weibo, numerous comments openly support the Iranian people, with some even calling for the 'overthrow of the authoritarian government.' Analysts suggest that this rare trend of overwhelmingly supportive public opinion represents the 'demonstration effect of colour revolutions' that the Chinese Communist Party's leadership fears the most.

Thirdly, there are potential geopolitical implications.

Iran has long been regarded as one of the most crucial strategic partners for the Chinese Communist Party in the Middle East, encompassing a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement, a renminbi oil settlement mechanism, energy corridor security, and key layouts for the Belt and Road Initiative. If the Khamenei regime were to face fundamental instability, it would not only alter the domestic landscape in Iran but also significantly impact the overall strategic positioning of the Chinese Communist Party in the Middle East. Some analysts candidly assert that in the current situation, 'Xi Jinping's level of anxiety may not be lower than that of Khamenei himself.'

In mainland China, the measures for maintaining stability during the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day period have seen a significant upgrade. Many regions have temporarily cancelled New Year's Eve events, not due to public health concerns, but because of heightened vigilance against large gatherings. From late 2025 to early 2026, resources for stability maintenance have been concentrated and mobilised, with security, public sentiment management, and grassroots control being tightened comprehensively. This reflects the authorities' increasing psychological pressure regarding the transition into the 'Year of the Snake'.

The Year of the Snake will not officially conclude until February 16. This extended timeframe, as many observers see it, holds considerable symbolic significance: if a particular economic or social flashpoint ignites domestically and leads to sustained protests in the streets, the political repercussions will far exceed those of any single incident. For a regime that heavily relies on personal authority and symbolic order, such a scenario is viewed as an unbearable burden.

What continues to unsettle the authoritarian structure is that highly intuitive and unavoidable image—portraits of leaders being set ablaze.

The flames reflected on faces destroy not just a photograph, but the symbolic system that underpins personal worship and the legitimacy of governance. Once the myth is publicly ridiculed, power loses its sacredness, leaving only raw coercion.

The 'mirror effect' of the Iranian protests is beginning to spread. The evidence repeatedly shows that when economic pressures, public discontent, and highly symbolic street actions converge, the long-constructed illusion of power can be shattered in a very short time.

From the flames on the streets of Tehran to the dismantling of surveillance lamp posts in Hong Kong, and the silent resistance of the Chinese white paper movement, the fractures in history have become apparent. Observers widely believe that the flames have not yet been extinguished—surveillance systems are still being dismantled, and authority is being openly ridiculed. While totalitarianism remains in place, it has evidently lost its stability.
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