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| Iran MPs under fire for 'embarrassing' selfies with Mogherini | Iran MPs under fire for 'embarrassing' selfies with Mogherini |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Members of the Iranian parliament have found themselves under fire for "strange" behaviour involving the EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini. | Members of the Iranian parliament have found themselves under fire for "strange" behaviour involving the EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini. |
| She was in Iran for President Hassan Rouhani's inauguration on Saturday when she found herself the centre of attention on the parliament floor. | She was in Iran for President Hassan Rouhani's inauguration on Saturday when she found herself the centre of attention on the parliament floor. |
| Photos showed Ms Mogherini surrounded by a number of male MPs, taking photos. | Photos showed Ms Mogherini surrounded by a number of male MPs, taking photos. |
| Many social media users criticised the MPs, ridiculing them or labelling their actions "humiliating". | Many social media users criticised the MPs, ridiculing them or labelling their actions "humiliating". |
| The Fars news agency posted a photo which many social media users felt showed Ms Mogherini unimpressed - and labelled the MPs' behaviour "strange". | The Fars news agency posted a photo which many social media users felt showed Ms Mogherini unimpressed - and labelled the MPs' behaviour "strange". |
| One MP, Alireza Salimi, called the behaviour "self-surrender to the West", and said that a committee on the conduct of members may probe the incident - if other MPs complain that the selfies caused "contempt" for parliament. | One MP, Alireza Salimi, called the behaviour "self-surrender to the West", and said that a committee on the conduct of members may probe the incident - if other MPs complain that the selfies caused "contempt" for parliament. |
| The EU has issued a number of sanctions against Iran over human rights and the country's nuclear programme. | The EU has issued a number of sanctions against Iran over human rights and the country's nuclear programme. |
| But while Mr Salimi felt the behaviour signalled subservience towards a top Western official, many on social media ridiculed the image of men crowding Ms Mogherini. | But while Mr Salimi felt the behaviour signalled subservience towards a top Western official, many on social media ridiculed the image of men crowding Ms Mogherini. |
| One popular tweet compared the image to a scene from the film Malena, where crowds of men rush to light actress Monica Belluci's cigarette. | |
| Another made the same point using of an iconic image from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. | Another made the same point using of an iconic image from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. |
| Ahmad Mazani, one of the MPs in the controversial pictures, tweeted that lawmakers had been banned "from interacting with special guests" during the ceremony - explaining the rush to crowd Ms Mogherini at its conclusion. | Ahmad Mazani, one of the MPs in the controversial pictures, tweeted that lawmakers had been banned "from interacting with special guests" during the ceremony - explaining the rush to crowd Ms Mogherini at its conclusion. |
| But Twitter users remained critical, with one replying that the MPs had "embarrassed the nation". | But Twitter users remained critical, with one replying that the MPs had "embarrassed the nation". |
| Hesam Ashena, the cultural adviser to the president, said: "This is a cultural rather than a political problem. Every one of those esteemed MPs in that selfie should be interviewed seriously." | Hesam Ashena, the cultural adviser to the president, said: "This is a cultural rather than a political problem. Every one of those esteemed MPs in that selfie should be interviewed seriously." |
| Sadegh Kharrazi, an adviser to reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, suggested that all Iranian MPs undergo "a training course on codes of conduct and universal moral values". | Sadegh Kharrazi, an adviser to reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, suggested that all Iranian MPs undergo "a training course on codes of conduct and universal moral values". |
| Ms Mogherini - who has built closer ties between the EU and Iran since he appointment - released a statement about the visit to Iran, but made no comment about the related controversy. | Ms Mogherini - who has built closer ties between the EU and Iran since he appointment - released a statement about the visit to Iran, but made no comment about the related controversy. |
| BBC Monitoring contributed to this report. | BBC Monitoring contributed to this report. |