Iranians mock Trump for mistaking leader with dead founder

Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989 and Iran has since been led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump was mocked by Iranians on Tuesday after mixing up the country's current supreme leader with his predecessor who died 30 years ago.

"The assets of Ayatollah Khomeini and his office will not be spared by these sanctions," Trump said on Monday as he announced new measures against Iran's supreme leader and top officials.

But the Islamic republic's founder and revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989, and the country has since been led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Trump doesn't know that Ayatollah Khomeini has passed away and that Ayatollah Khamenei is the leader of Iran," tweeted Sara Masoumi, diplomatic correspondent for the reformist daily Etemad.

"Has this narcissist been waiting for (a dead man) to call him?" wrote another Twitter user, after Trump last month said he would like Iran to phone him.

One social media user suggested "Trump took revenge" for Khamenei reportedly mispronouncing the president's name as Ronald.

But one Twitter user suggested there was a plot in the White House to make the US president "look like a lunatic!"

It isn’t just Trump who doesn’t appear to know that Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989. Neither Pence nor Mnuchin react. https://t.co/XaSBu16MhT

— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) June 24, 2019