Following severe criticism from a member of parliament regarding the removal of hijabs from several Iranian women during security checks at Tbilisi Airport, the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic announced that a "strong protest" has been communicated to the Georgian Foreign Ministry. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Thursday, August 25, that after "confirming the accuracy of the report," the Iranian ambassador in Tbilisi expressed his "strong protest" to the Georgian Foreign Ministry and the airport security police. The Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry sent a protest to the Georgian embassy in Tehran and requested an explanation from the Georgian ambassador in Tehran. Media outlets associated with the so-called "principlists" in Iran have strongly condemned what they refer to as "humiliation" at Tbilisi Airport in the past two days following the publication of the parliamentary representative's protest. The Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry referred to this incident as "hijab violation" in its statement. Hossein Ali Hajideligani, a representative from Shahinshahr in parliament, told the Fars news agency on Wednesday: "Tbilisi airport officials forced Iranian female passengers to remove their headscarves, shawls, and manteaus before boarding the plane and to pass through the gate in this state in front of others." According to this parliament member, the flight in question was bound for Isfahan from Tbilisi on Tuesday morning. Georgian officials have not yet responded to these reports, but last year, a similar incident drew a "surprise" reaction from the Georgian Prime Minister. Vali Dadashi, a representative from Astara, criticized the "inappropriate treatment" at Tbilisi Airport in a speech in the public session on April 29 last year, stating: "Iranian women were stripped in public under the pretext of inspection." A few days after these remarks, the IRNA news agency reported that the Georgian Prime Minister expressed "surprise" during a meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister. Additionally, about two weeks after Dadashi's speech in parliament, the parliamentary deputy of the Iranian Foreign Minister stated that despite the Foreign Ministry's request, this representative provided no evidence or witnesses regarding his claims. Body searches at airports are considered a common practice.
Strong Protest from the Foreign Ministry Following Body Searches of Iranian Passengers in Tbilisi
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has lodged a strong protest with Georgia following an incident where Iranian women were reportedly forced to remove their hijabs during security checks at Tbilisi Airport. This incident has sparked outrage among Iranian officials and media, highlighting ongoing tensions regarding cultural and religious practices. The lack of a response from Georgian officials raises questions about diplomatic relations.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest against Georgia after reports surfaced that Iranian women were forced to remove their hijabs during security checks at Tbilisi Airport. This incident has led to outrage among Iranian officials and media.
- Iranian women were reportedly made to remove their hijabs at Tbilisi Airport during security checks.
- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has formally protested to the Georgian government regarding this incident.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iranian cultural practices, particularly regarding hijab, are a sensitive issue, and incidents like this can provoke strong reactions from the Iranian government and society.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%