A new TIME Magazine cover featuring the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, has ignited a storm of criticism online, with users accusing the Western media of once again laying the groundwork for regime change in the Muslim world.

The controversial cover, shared on TIME’s official X account on Thursday, depicts a half-torn poster of Khamenei under the bold headline: “The New Middle East.” The visual parallels to previous TIME covers — particularly its 2003 issue featuring Saddam Hussein just before the U.S. invasion of Iraq — were not lost on critics.

“Western press is setting the stage for aggression against Iran,” one user posted. “What they call ‘The New Middle East’ is a blueprint of destruction, displacement, and exploitation.”

Others questioned the sudden framing of regional transformation:

“It hasn’t even been a week and there’s already a ‘new Middle East’? Am I missing a revolution or a ceasefire?”

The backlash comes amid heightened regional tensions. Israel’s surprise aggression on Iran last week — targeting nuclear scientists, generals, and civilian infrastructure — have been framed as a preemptive strike against alleged nuclear threats. However, Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, a stance supported by both the IAEA and U.S. intelligence assessments.

Critics of the magazine and the broader narrative say the media portrayal eerily mirrors the prelude to past U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Libya, where similar cover art and rhetoric were used to justify military interventions that ultimately led to national collapse.

“We’re not exaggerating when we say it’s the same playbook,” one X user noted, referencing previous covers showing Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein being symbolically erased.

The escalating conflict has already led to hundreds of civilian deaths, including strikes on hospitals and state media buildings. Israel’s Defense Minister recently stated that Khamenei ‘can no longer be allowed to exist,’ while Prime Minister Netanyahu said Iran would “pay the full price.”

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that former President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, though Netanyahu declined to deny it in a recent ABC interview. Instead, he framed the plan as an act that would “end the conflict.”

Trump’s current stance remains unclear. Though he has reportedly approved contingency plans for military action, he is said to be holding off in hopes that Iran will renounce its nuclear program under pressure.

With tensions between Tel Aviv and Tehran escalating and echoes of previous regime change wars ringing loudly, the TIME cover — a single image — now represents a larger question: Is history repeating itself under a new headline?

As many online have warned, the erasure of a leader’s image in glossy print has often preceded the erasure of nations in real life.