Australia enrages Iran with one Instagram post

A social media post by Australia’s embassy in Iran featuring cupcakes and bow ties – but not mentioning Iran at all – has sent Tehran fuming.

The Australian government has enraged Iran with a cupcake laden Instagram post, that didn’t even mention Iran.

Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Australian Ambassador for an explanation of a social media post on the embassy’s official Instagram page which celebrated Wear it Purple Day.

In the post, Australia’s ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, can be seen sporting a purple bow tie and clutching a purple bunch of flowers while staff enjoy pink cupcakes.

The post, in both English and Iran’s language of Farsi, talked about an “a brighter, more inclusive future”.

The Australian embassy social media post that so enraged Tehran. Picture: Instagram.

Wear it Purple is an Australian initiative supporting young LGBTQ people. Wear it Purple Day is held each year on August 30.

“Celebrating Wear it Purple Day with a splash of purple in every corner, and some delicious cupcakes made with love,” the post stated.

“Today, and every day, we’re dedicated to creating a supportive environment, where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves”.

The images appeared to be taken on the roof of the embassy in Tehran.

Iran is one of the most oppressive countries in the world to be LGBTQ.

Not only is homosexuality illegal and can also be punishable by death for men, Iran is potentially the only country worldwide to actually carry out that penalty.

Gay women can received 100 lashes as punishment but the death penalty is also a possibility.

The Iranian government can recognise transgender people but only once they have undergone sex reassignment surgery and even then discrimination is rife.

It’s been reported that in Iran gay man often undergo gender reassignment surgery to avoid been arrested and killed for their sexuality.

The pink cupcakes and purple flowers led Iran’s foreign ministry to reprimand the Australian Ambassador in person. Picture: Instagram.

Australia ‘strongly condemned’

The Mehr news agency of Iran quoted the director of the regional department at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as “strongly condemning,” the Australian embassy “in posting such content that was against the accepted norms,” the ABC reported.

“The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs and culture”.

On Tuesday, the ministry said it had summoned Mr McConville to reprimand him in person.

Mr McConville was previously the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria and to Mauritius, and he’s also served a diplomatic role in North Korea.

Wear it Purple is an Australian LGBTQ initiative. Iran is known to execute gay men. Picture: Instagram.

It’s highly unlikely that the Australian embassy in Tehran was unaware of Iran’s harsh punishment for particularly male homosexuality and so the post appeared to implicitly support the country’s LGBTQ community.

The German embassy in Tehran’s social media page replied to Australia’s post with three purple love hearts.

One comment on the post said “freedom and equality for all” with more purple hearts.

However one person commenting said that Australia should “apologise to the great nation of Iran,” while another demanded the embassy “Respect the laws of Iran”.

Embassies are generally considered to be immune from local laws and diplomats also have immunity from prosecution.

Despite Tehran’s anger, the Instagram post remains live in the embassy’s page.