image sourced from original article at Iranian authorities have ordered the closure of several branches of the Lamiz café chain in Tehran after cups distributed at the locations featured an illustration of an empty chair. Officials interpreted the image as a political message suggesting the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the outset of the war with Israel and the United States.
According to Iranian media reports, the judiciary directed that the cafés be shut down and sealed. Authorities also viewed the image as a possible reference to the absence from public view of Mojtaba Khamenei, widely considered a potential successor, since his appointment.
The incident highlights the sensitivity of political symbolism in Iran, particularly during a period of heightened regional tensions and internal scrutiny over leadership and succession.
