Iran expresses indignation over an Australian LGBTQ-themed post on Instagram.
The Iranian government has raised concerns over a post made by the Australian embassy on Instagram. The post honored the LGBTQ movement and advocated for a more progressive society. Iran regards this as a disrespect to Islamic beliefs and has requested a meeting with the ambassador.
As per reports from news agency Irna, the Australian embassy was advised to avoid such posts in the future by Iran's foreign ministry. The embassy had shared a post on Instagram last Saturday, commemorating the "Wear It Purple Day" of the LGBTQ movement and encouraging an open society. This event, which began in 2010, is observed annually on the last Friday in August. The purpose is to bring attention to the bullying faced by LGBTQ youth in schools by having them and their supporters wear purple shirts.
"Encouragement of Homosexuality"
Iranian conservative media perceived this post as endorsing homosexuality within Iran and demanded a firm government stance. According to Irna, the Australian ambassador, Ian McConville, clarified during the meeting in Tehran that the Instagram post was not related to Iran and should not be interpreted as an affront to the country. He intends to relay the Iranian protest to his government nonetheless.
Homosexuality is considered a medical issue in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the clergy enforces a no-tolerance policy towards homosexual individuals. In some extreme cases, even death penalties are proposed for homosexual couples. Discussion about this subject is highly controversial and considered completely off-limits.
Other countries may have different views on LGBTQ rights, but Iran firmly maintains its position against the promotion of homosexuality. The Australian embassy's post on 'Wear It Purple Day' was seen as crossing a cultural boundary by many in Iran.
