Tango of Death

The fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 has sparked discussions about its implications for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian regime. Both leaders have been criticized for authoritarian rule and human rights violations, though their governing structures differ. Assad relied on a secular regime supported by the Alawite minority, while Khamenei leads a Shiite theocracy backed by religious and military institutions. Assad’s fall weakens Iran’s regional influence and its alliances, such as Hezbollah. The controversial photo of Assad meeting Khamenei in Tehran, in which Khamenei’s height was exaggerated, reflects the propaganda sensitivities of authoritarian regimes. This theme is captured in my cartoon, “Tango of Death,” which illustrates the close connection between these two dictators.