Iran mocks United Nations effectiveness using Bollywood imagery

The Iranian Embassy in India has utilized Indian pop culture to criticize the United Nations, posting a social media meme that contrasts the perceived power of the organization with its actual effectiveness. The meme features two panels: one showing the Marvel character Doctor Strange, captioned “UN according to school books” to represent an idealized, powerful entity, and another featuring the character Thakur from the Bollywood film “Sholay,” captioned “UN in reality” to suggest the organization is powerless.

This digital satire coincides with the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The move follows recent criticisms from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who accused the UN of “indifference” toward alleged violations of its Charter by the United States and Israel. Araghchi recently met with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss developments in the Middle East.