Iran cages 'Trump' in Tehran street display amid tensions

Iranian authorities have erected billboards at several locations across Tehran, each attached to a cage designed as a prison cell. Inside: an actor wearing a Donald Trump mask and the US president's signature suit. The display comes as Iran faces severe economic crisis following two rounds of conflict with Israel and the United States.

The cell is furnished with a bed, toilet and sink. The actor paces back and forth, looks skyward each time a plane is heard overhead, and occasionally sits on the bed with his head in his hands. The installation has appeared at multiple sites across the capital, sometimes accompanied by projected propaganda footage and at times by a ceremonial orchestra.

The stated aim behind the display is to "punish" Trump for the damage he has inflicted on Iran. A sign beside the cage reads: "Now he sees the crime scene."

Iranian citizens filming the installation are heard saying in the background: "This is a very appropriate display considering what our country has been through, but it will only have a punchline if we achieve victory."

The stunt comes against a backdrop of high tension between Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump recently launched a sharp attack on the Iranian regime, accusing Tehran of attempting to manipulate oil prices ahead of the American midterm elections. In a tweet, the president claimed Iran is carrying out false-flag attacks and mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz in order to raise oil prices and influence voting results.

Trump went on to accuse the Tehran regime of mass killing of protesters. "They continue to kill protesters and anyone who gets in their way. This is a truly evil regime," Trump stated. According to him, 75,000 protesters have been killed in less than seven months.

Meanwhile, Iran assesses that a confrontation with Israel and the United States is a certainty and that Israel will strike first. They are preparing for the possibility that such an attack could occur in the coming days, even before the elections. Israel's security establishment is preparing and deeply concerned about the possibility of miscalculation, the way Iranians might interpret statements from Israel and lead to escalation.

Iran is facing, according to reports, an unprecedented economic downturn, extreme price increases and shortages of basic goods. Nevertheless, it appears the Tehran regime has no shortage of resources or spirit to troll the leader of the world's most powerful nation.