politics
February 20, 2026
US hawk insults Iranian leadership
Senator Lindsey Graham has called Iran’s supreme leader a “fat man,” dismissing threats against US warships amid soaring regional tensions
TL;DR
- Senator Lindsey Graham mocked Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Khamenei had warned about US warships and the potential to destroy them.
- Graham's insults referenced a character from the western film 'True Grit'.
- Graham has recently escalated rhetoric against Iran, calling for regime change and strikes on infrastructure.
- US media reports indicate the Pentagon is prepared to strike Iran and has briefed President Trump on attack options.
- The US has amassed a significant military presence in the Middle East.
- The US and Iran have held nuclear talks in Geneva, with Washington pushing for a deal with no nuclear enrichment.
- Russia has urged restraint and defended Iran's right to peaceful uranium enrichment.