A striking new propaganda display featuring a President Donald Trump impersonator has been installed above Tajrish Square, a busy transportation and market area in northern Tehran. The installation, unveiled Tuesday by Tehran’s Beautification Organization, affiliated with the city municipality, depicts a man in a mask and wig resembling Trump confined inside a cage designed to look like a jail cell. The actor inside the cage mimics Trump’s Y.M.C.A. dance, interacts with the audience, and gestures animatedly while confined in a small cell equipped with a bed, toilet, and sink.

Behind the performer, an electronic billboard flashes images related to a recent American airstrike on a wedding party in the southern Iranian town of Kuhestak. The images include visual crime scene tape and carry messages such as “Failure to see this scene is a crime.” The campaign runs for 15 days in the capital, aiming to draw public attention to the attack that occurred last month and reportedly struck a large gathering, causing casualties.

The display is part of a broader pattern of provocative public messaging in Tehran since the escalation of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran earlier this year. In February, following a series of strikes targeting Iranian sites, a prominent billboard in central Enghelab Square showed an image of Trump lying in a coffin graffitied with slogans. Such visual statements have become a recurring feature in Tehran’s public spaces, where government-aligned groups leverage street art and digital media to communicate political messages.

Since assuming office, Trump has also employed his own controversial and politicized messaging against Iran, often using social media platforms to post artificial intelligence-generated images mocking Iranian clerical leaders or threatening force. In turn, Iran’s government and its supporters have produced various forms of satirical content targeting the U.S. president, including viral Lego-style videos created by an anonymous group known as “Explosive Media.” Analysts note that while these digital productions often receive considerable attention internationally, their impact within Iran tends to be limited.

However, the new live-action performance has drawn significant public attention, with passersby stopping to record and react to the spectacle in Tajrish Square. The venue is notable because it is not typically used for overt political expression and is known more for its vibrant market atmosphere. The installation’s prominence there indicates an effort by Iranian authorities to engage a broader segment of the public.

The attack on the wedding, which serves as the focal point of the campaign, has been a source of heightened tension. U.S. Central Command acknowledged awareness of Iranian reports about the strike but maintained that it does not target civilians. Meanwhile, many Iranians harbor deep resentment toward Trump following the escalation of conflict and his administration’s rhetoric threatening Iran, including his declaration that he would send Iran “back to the Stone Age.” According to analysts such as Omid Memarian, a senior Iran expert at the Washington-based research group DAWN, the recent bombardments and heightened hostilities have shifted dynamics within Iran, making anti-American sentiment more widespread beyond the usual hard-line constituencies.