Russian diplomat tweets picture of Kal Penn playing a terrorist

The actor Kal Penn is mocking Russia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom after he tweeted a picture of the comedian and former White House aide playing a terrorist.

In the tweet, Alexander Yakovenko criticized America’s strategy against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is alternately known as ISIL.

“U.S. threatens to stop helping Iraq against ISIL if Baghdad asks Russia for help,” Yakovenko tweeted. “The terrorists must be rejoicing.”

The tweet contained a photo of Penn satirizing Islamic extremists in the 2004 stoner comedy “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.”

Penn — an ex-White House aide who has repeatedly fundraised for President Obama — lampooned the diplomat’s tweet.

US threatens to stop helping Iraq against ISIL if Baghdad asks Russia for help. The terrorists must be rejoicing pic.twitter.com/aKDaf1ae7q

— Alexander Yakovenko (@Amb_Yakovenko) October 21, 2015

The Russian Federation ambassador to the UK tweeted this Harold & Kumar pic with seriousness. I can’t stop laughing. https://t.co/ZsR041AAVJ

— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) October 21, 2015

.@Amb_Yakovenko thank you, Mr. Ambassador. pic.twitter.com/Df1d1wSGX4

— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) October 21, 2015

In response, the Russian embassy tweeted that, “it is rather hard to spot an actual terrorist laughing. Your performance is convincing and therefore fit to illustrate the idea.”

President Obama appointed Penn to his Committee on the Arts and Humanities November 2013. The actor also served as Obama’s associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement from 2009 to 2010.

Penn’s dust-up with Yakovenko comes amid strained relations between the Obama administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin authorized Russian airstrikes in Syria earlier this month. The United States says the military campaign is aimed at propping up the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

— This story was updated at 6:59 p.m. with the Russian embassy’s response.