By Muslim Mirror Special Correspondent
In an effort to counter the western media “propaganda” on Hijab agitation, Dr Peyman Jebelli, the president of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Tuesday claimed that gender equality and respect for individual human rights are the fundamental governing principles of the Islamic Republic.
On the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini on September 16, he clarified it ‘was due to her health problems, but certain section of media outlets twisted the fact for their vested interest’.
Iran has no problem with our football team players refusing to sing the national anthem during a FIFA match in Doha. We don’t have certain rules in Iran. People show respect by standing only during the national anthem, said Jebelli.
Every country commits some mistakes, so is Iran we admit it, but the way Western media is projecting Iranian society is far from reality. News reports are manipulated, doctored videos and pictures are being shared on social media to defame Iran, he added.
Dr. Jebelli chose to take pride in the country’s intrinsic belief in its culture and viewpoint towards human values while taking pride in claiming that the Iranian “women are the most empowered compared to any western country.”
“Hijab is part of our culture; it is part of our constitution. But we don’t use coercive measures for its implication. Sometime women ignore Hijab but we don’t impose or take stern action against them,” he said.
Iran respects the right to peaceful protests and rallies but not violence and terror instigated by outsiders will certainly not be allowed, he said.
“Iran’s social and political systems including the laws on hijab have all been decided through a democratic process including elections and the parliament. We are an ‘Islamic’ Republic, so we take care of both, our ethos and democratic rights,” he said.
He went on to cite a survey which put that 70% Iranian women support wearing hijab.
“In Iran 60% of students are female. Over 200 films were made by women; several women won Olympic medals, over 1000 judges are women. Hijab is not an obstacle for the empowerment of Iranian women. We can proudly say that Iranian women are the most empowered women compared to any western country,” he said.
On the country’s embattled economy, the Iranian Ambassador to India Dr. Iraj Elahi said: “We want to sell oil to India.We want to develop our economic ties mutually. We can supply oil to India as per its requirements despite illegal US sanction, and buy whatever we need from India.”
