Iran has summoned Australia’s ambassador to Tehran, Ian McConville, in protest over an Instagram post published by the Australian embassy that the Iranian government described as “norm-breaking.”
The post, which remains live on the embassy’s official Instagram account, celebrated “Wear It Purple Day,” an event dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth and creating a safe environment in which they can feel proud of their identity.
According to Iran’s semi-official ILNA news agency, the Iranian government viewed the post as promoting homosexuality, an act that goes against the country’s deeply rooted Islamic values. The director of the Regional Department at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the content, stating that it was “insulting” and contrary to Iranian and Islamic traditions, customs, and culture. The official also suggested that the post may violate international law.
https://www.instagram.com/australiainiran/p/C_X3RYoNBxi/
Ambassador McConville reportedly explained that the post was not intended to offend the Iranian people or their values and emphasised that the Islamic Republic of Iran was not mentioned in the post. Despite this, the Iranian authorities remained firm, considering the content unacceptable.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, where the government, led by Islamic clerical authorities, enforces strict laws against such activities. In some cases, gay sex can be punished by the death penalty. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has previously described homosexuality as a sign of “moral depravity” prevalent in Western civilisation.
Australia has maintained diplomatic relations with Iran since opening its embassy in Tehran in 1968. Ambassador McConville, a seasoned diplomat with previous postings in South Korea, Nigeria, and the United Nations, was appointed to his current position in April of this year.
This incident follows a recent diplomatic dispute between the two countries when the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) summoned Iran’s ambassador to Australia over a controversial post on X (formerly Twitter). The post advocated for the violent removal of Israelis from “the holy lands of Palestine” by 2027. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the remarks as “abhorrent, hateful, and anti-Semitic,” calling the ambassador’s conduct “entirely inappropriate.”
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has contacted DFAT to provide further comments on the current situation.
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