Iran's Leader Denounces 'Disrespect' to Jesus Following Trump's Divisive Social Media Comment

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has strongly denounced a controversial image shared by US President Donald Trump, which was generated using artificial intelligence and features Trump as Jesus Christ, and also expressed solidarity with Pope Leo XIV, who Trump had criticized as "weak and terrible".

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Pezeshkian stated that the disrespect shown to Jesus is intolerable to anyone who values freedom, emphasizing the importance of respecting religious figures.

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In a message addressed to Pope Leo XIV on X on Monday, Pezeshkian wrote, "Your Excellency Pope Leo XIV, on behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus, peace be upon him, the Prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person.

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Pezeshkian also extended a wish for the Pope's glory, saying "I wish glory for you from Allah", in a show of support and solidarity with the pontiff.

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The Iranian president's statement came as a response to Trump's post on his Truth Social platform, where he shared an AI-generated image depicting himself in a robe, surrounded by a dazzling light and levitating figures, with the Statue of Liberty and fireworks in the background.

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In a separate post, Trump had criticized Pope Leo XIV, describing him as "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy", following the Pope's call for an end to the escalating international tensions involving the US, Iran, and Israel.

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Trump's actions sparked widespread reaction, with Pezeshkian's response standing out for its reference to the Islamic reverence for Jesus as a prophet, which he cited as the basis for his condemnation of the desecration of a shared religious figure.