This morning Alexander Yakovenko, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK, tweeted this.
US threatens to stop helping Iraq against ISIL if Baghdad asks Russia for help. The terrorists must be rejoicing
The photo is a screengrab from a scene from the film Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. You can watch it below.
View this video on YouTube
Kal Penn, a former associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, as well as one of the titular characters in the film — and fake terrorist featured in the tweet — saw it and actually responded.
The Russian Federation ambassador to the UK tweeted this Harold & Kumar pic with seriousness. I can't stop laughing. https://t.co/ZsR041AAVJ
The Russian embassy tried to calm relations between them and the ex-White House staffer.
@kalpenn it is rather hard to spot an actual terrorist laughing. Your performance is convincing and therefore fit to illustrate the idea.
And Penn seemed to take it in good humor.
.@Amb_Yakovenko thank you, Mr. Ambassador.