Iran’s Embassy in Tunisia has turned to Bollywood humour to mock US President Donald Trump, using a popular Akshay Kumar meme to comment on the latest tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The Iranian diplomatic mission shared the meme on its official X account after Iran claimed that its forces had captured a US unmanned underwater drone near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The post featured a series of sarcastic expressions by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and was accompanied by a message aimed directly at Trump.
“Lost an underwater drone. Oil is nearing $100. Elections are coming. How’s it going, Trump?” the post said.
The meme combined the reported drone incident, rising global oil prices and upcoming US elections into a humorous political jab at the American president.
Iranian Embassy Uses Bollywood Humour
The choice of Akshay Kumar added a distinctly Indian pop-culture element to the Iranian embassy’s message.
Kumar’s expressive reactions, which have been widely used in internet memes, were used by the embassy to convey sarcasm while commenting on the ongoing geopolitical confrontation.
The post quickly attracted attention on X, with users joining the discussion and adding their own jokes about the Iranian message, Trump and the potential impact of tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Some users praised the embassy’s use of the Bollywood meme, while others warned that the humour could further escalate tensions between the countries.
Iran and US Give Different Accounts of Drone Incident
The meme followed an announcement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) regarding an unmanned US underwater vessel.
Iran claimed that its naval forces captured the unmanned submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz on September 8.
According to the IRGC, the vessel was seized at dawn during what it described as a “complex intelligence and operational action.”
Iranian authorities also released images and video that they said showed the captured US submersible.
The United States, however, offered a different explanation of the incident.
According to the report, US officials said the underwater drone was an older model that had malfunctioned during operations.
The vessel was reportedly worth around $2.5 million, adding further interest to the incident amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
With the two sides providing different accounts, the Iranian embassy used the episode as an opportunity to address Trump through social media rather than issuing a conventional diplomatic statement.
Oil Prices Become Part of the Message
The Iranian meme also referenced oil prices approaching $100 per barrel, highlighting the potential economic consequences of the confrontation.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important energy routes, making developments around the waterway closely watched by international energy markets.
Any prolonged disruption or threat to shipping through the area could raise concerns about global energy supplies and potentially put further pressure on oil prices.
By mentioning oil prices alongside the alleged drone capture and US elections, the Iranian embassy framed several developments as challenges facing Trump.
Iran Has Used Bollywood Memes Before
The latest post is not the first time an Iranian diplomatic mission has turned to Bollywood culture for political messaging.
In April, Iran’s consulate in Mumbai shared a scene from the 2007 Bollywood comedy Dhamaal featuring actor Riteish Deshmukh.
The scene showed Deshmukh’s character attempting to escape a group of men by hiding behind a door of a house with no walls.
The Iranian consulate used the clip to portray the United States as being chased by Iran and shared it on X with the caption, “Indian memes are GOAT.”
The latest Akshay Kumar meme follows the same approach, using familiar Indian entertainment content to communicate a political message to a global online audience.
Social Media Becomes Diplomatic Tool
Governments and diplomatic missions have increasingly adopted social media formats, including memes, short videos and viral references, to communicate with audiences.
Unlike traditional diplomatic statements, memes can deliver political messages in a more informal and easily shareable format.
Iran’s latest post demonstrates how popular culture can become part of online political communication, particularly during periods of heightened international tensions.
The use of an Indian actor also allowed the Iranian embassy to connect its message with a wider internet culture beyond the immediate Iran-US confrontation.
X Users React to Iranian Meme
The Akshay Kumar meme generated a range of reactions from users on X.
Some users joked about the possibility of Trump reacting to the fact that the meme originated from Indian popular culture. Others praised Akshay Kumar’s expressions and described the actor as an unexpected addition to geopolitical online exchanges.
One user humorously suggested that the meme should only be used by an “Iran in India” account, while another described Kumar as a “geopolitical asset.”
The reactions added another layer of humour to an already tense international situation.
For now, the competing claims over the underwater drone remain part of the broader confrontation between Iran and the United States. The Iranian embassy, however, has made its position clear through an unconventional social media tactic—using a familiar Bollywood face to deliver a pointed message to Trump.
Also read: Akshay Kumar breaks Guinness World Record.
