Was the Illustration of Jesus Hugging Trump a Response to Image of Soleimani in Heaven?

Published January 7th, 2020 - 10:16 GMT
Trump Hugged by Jesus, Soleimani hugged by Imam Hussein: Is the Illustrations War an Official One?
Heated religious rhetoric between the US and Iran is sparking fear of an WWIII (Twitter)

In the aftermath of Qasem Soleimani's death during a US airstrike targeting his car near Baghdad airport on Friday morning, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei's website posted an illustration showing Soleimani 'welcomed' by Prophet Muhammad's grandson 'in heaven'. 

The painting posted on Khamenei's website depicts the slain Iranian general being hugged by Imam Hussein, a very special figure for Shia Muslims throughout history.

Online users retweeted the painting and linked it with an illustration showing the US president in the arms of Jesus Christ in the Oval Office.

Most people reacted with the assumption that Trump's illustration was released by the White House in response to Soleimani's image.

Translation: "Iran posted a painting of Imam Hussein welcoming Qasem Soleimani and hugging him. The White House responded with a similar one of Jesus Christ hugging Trump. Are we playing?" 

Translation: "He wins the most confident award."

Some online commentators mocked the paintings, while some expressed their fear over a possible confrontation because of the heated religious rhetoric.

Other users drew attention to the fact that Iran is using Soleimani's death to create a unifying cause amongst Shia Muslims around the world. 

Translation: "Both are jokes"

Translation: "I worry that the next thing we'll see is heavy weapons."

While the Iranian general's painting can be checked on Khamenei's website, the painting in which Trump was embraced by Jesus Christ is actually more than two years old, which contradicts claims that it was released by the White House recently.

The Trump illustration was in fact posted by a fake Facebook account under Tiffany Trump's name in April 2017 and went viral back then.

(Facebook) April 2017

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