Iranian Protesters Burn Baal Effigy During Revolution Anniversary Rally
Thousands of demonstrators in Iran set fire to a large effigy of the ancient deity Baal during state-organised rallies on Wednesday, amid heightened anti-Western and anti-Israel rhetoric. The symbolic act took place as crowds gathered across Tehran and other cities to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The statue, depicted with horns and bearing a Star of David, was burned alongside representations of the United States and Israel, including flags and mannequins of political leaders. Participants chanted slogans such as “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” Iranian officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended the events, which combined political demonstrations with displays of military hardware and symbolic coffins.
While Iranian state media and some social posts framed the burning as a protest against perceived “satanic” or corrupt forces — with some online narratives linking figures like Jeffrey Epstein to broader elite wrongdoing — there is no independent evidence that Epstein or his crimes have any direct connection to the ancient figure of Baal. The use of Baal imagery appears to reflect a blend of mythological symbolism and contemporary political messaging rather than a factual link to events on Epstein’s island.
The demonstrations come against a backdrop of ongoing regional tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, and amid internal unrest linked to nationwide protests that began in late 2025 over political and economic grievances. International reactions to the symbolic displays have been mixed, with some governments expressing concern that incendiary imagery could fuel further tensions in the Middle East.
