DUBAI, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Iran summoned Australia’s ambassador in Tehran overthe publication of online content it deemed “norm-breaking”, the semi-official ILNA news agency said on Tuesday, a day after state media said the post “promoted homosexuality”.
The post on the embassy’s official Instagram account celebrated “Wear it Purple Day” and expressed dedication to creating “a supporting environment where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves”.
Iran summons Australian ambassador over ‘offensive’ LGBTQ+ social media post https://t.co/KHpbt6oX92
— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) September 4, 2024
ILNA quoted Australian Ambassador Ian McConville as saying the post was not intended to insult the Iranian people and their values, and that the Islamic Republic was not mentioned in it.
The post remains on the embassy’s Instagram account.
In 2022, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described homosexuality as part of the “moral depravity” widespread in Western civilisation.
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Western rights groups have often accused Iran’s clerical authorities of restricting social and sexual freedoms – gay sex is outlawed and can be punished by the death penalty. Tehran says the criticism is baseless and arises from a lack of understanding of its Islamic legal code.
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(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; editing by Mark Heinrich)
