On the anniversary of the Islamist attacks on “Charlie Hebdo”, the satirical magazine follows up with an explosive special edition. The target this time is the aged Ayatollah Khamenei. The regime in Tehran is threatening France for “crossing the border”.
After the publication of cartoons about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the French satirical newspaper “Charlie Hebdo”, Iran has threatened France with consequences. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian wrote on Twitter that the “insulting” action “will not remain without an effective and decisive response.” Tehran will not “allow the French government to cross the borders”. You have “definitely chosen the wrong path”.
In a special edition marking the anniversary of the deadly attack on its Paris office, the weekly newspaper “Charlie Hebdo” published dozens of cartoons mocking Iran’s supreme spiritual leader. The magazine said the cartoons are part of a competition it launched in December in support of anti-government protests in Iran. On the front page, the satirical newspaper writes “Mullahs, go where you came from”. A laughing woman with her legs apart is shown, in whose lap the Islamists are returning. In 2015, “Charlie Hebdo” became the target of an Islamist attack in Paris after the paper had caused outrage among devout Muslims around the world by publishing cartoons of Mohammed.
Iran has been shaken by a wave of protests since the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini on September 16. Amini had previously been arrested by the vice squad on charges of violating the strict Islamic headscarf rules for women. The Iranian authorities have denounced the nationwide demonstrations as “riots”. They accuse the West and opposition groups of fomenting the unrest.
Two French citizens were indicted in Iran on Tuesday after allegations of espionage. According to the Misan justice portal, another allegation was “conspiracy against national security”. The trials are being conducted before a Revolutionary Court. At first nothing was known about the identity of the accused. France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna confirmed the arrest of two French nationals in November amid nationwide protests in Iran.
Several European citizens have been arrested and charged in Iran in the past, including tourists. According to the judiciary, at least 40 foreigners have been arrested since the protests broke out in mid-September. The security authorities usually justify the arrests with allegations of espionage. Critics, on the other hand, accuse Iran of holding foreign nationals as political hostages.
