Charlie Hebdo doubles down as it publishes fresh cartoons of Iran leader

French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo doubles down on its ridicule of Iran’s religious rulers, with fresh cartoons of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei despite protests from Iran and its allies.

“The mullahs aren’t happy. The caricatures of their supreme leader… do not seem to have made them laugh,” the paper’s editor, known as “Riss,” writes in the latest edition, which hits newsstands on Wednesday.

“Laughing at themselves has never been a strong point of tyrants,” he adds.

The paper was hit by a cyber attack after publishing cartoons of Khamenei in last week’s special edition, which marked the anniversary of the 2015 attack on its Paris offices that left 12 dead.

“A digital attack doesn’t leave anyone dead, but it sets the tone. The mullah’s regime feels in such danger that it considers it vital to its existence to hack the website of a French newspaper,” Riss writes.

“It is an honor in one sense, but above all proves that they feel their power is very fragile.”

Les Basijians et autres mercenaires de Khamenei se révolteront devant l'ambassade de France à Téhéran le 11 janvier.

Ils ont fait part de leur motivation en réponse aux caricatures du dirigeant iranien publiées par Charlie Hebdo.@Charlie_Hebdo_ #MahsaAmini https://t.co/F91iz0h8cZ pic.twitter.com/azul7tZbra

— Farzad Fattahi (@FattahiFarzad) January 10, 2023