The Iranian consulate in Hyderabad has found itself at the center of a viral online clash with former US President Donald Trump, following his recent controversial remarks on immigration. Trump shared a transcript of a radio show where host Michael Savage criticized US birthright citizenship, labeling countries like India and China as 'hellholes.' The consulate responded with a series of sharp, satirical posts on social media, igniting a full-scale meme war.
Trump's Controversial Transcript
The transcript shared by Trump included Savage's comments: 'A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet. You don't have to go too far to see that. English is not spoken here any more. That there's almost no loyalty to this country amongst the immigrant class coming in today, which was not always the case.'
Consulate's Swift Response
The Hyderabad-based Iranian consulate reacted quickly on X (formerly Twitter), stating: 'Every day, with a new post, Trump's inhumanity proves to be beyond infinity. This is racism itself.' In a follow-up post, it said: 'China and India are the cradles of civilisation. In fact, the #hellhole is where its war-criminal president threatened to decimate the civilisation in Iran.' Another post read: 'Divide and rule; but Trump is just dividing without any rule. #hellhole.'
Meme War Erupts
The consulate's posts triggered a wave of memes in support of Iran. One meme portrayed Trump as a haggard Einstein, whimsically explaining the blockade at the Strait of Hormuz. Another depicted him in tattered clothes after a bombing, ironically declaring victory. The digital pushback extended beyond text, with an AI-generated video from April 22 showing Trump fuming and threatening to bomb Iran after their negotiators failed to appear for talks. The clip ended with an exasperated Trump extending the ceasefire 'at Pakistan's request.'
History of Satirical Posts
This is not the first time the Iranian consulate in Hyderabad has taken on Trump. Over recent weeks, it has posted a series of satirical messages. One such post read: 'The president, who couldn't block his own border with Mexico, wants to block thousands of kilometres of our borders.!!!!' Another said: 'The Strait of Hormuz isn't social media. If someone blocks you, you can't just block them back.'
Global Consulate Campaign
The Hyderabad consulate is not alone in this approach. Iranian consulates across the globe have upped their social media game, using satire to respond to Trump's remarks. The posts have drawn significant engagement online, with netizens dubbing it a 'parallel meme war on the internet.' Sources at the Iranian consulate in Hyderabad confirmed that the posts were created locally in India. 'The US and Israel are pushing propaganda which cannot be replied to by official statements. Creativity in our replies to reach people is a more effective way that can be helpful,' a source said.
