Jezebel: Iran

Iran Sends Bart Simpson to the Same Dark Prison Cell as Barbie

Cassie Murdoch — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

First they came for Barbie, and now they're coming for Bart Simpson. Iran has apparently had it with American toys that promote (admittedly crappy) values. It is now banning dolls based on Bart and the rest of his famous family. Mohammad Hossein Farjoo, who runs the agency that oversees what toys Iranian children can play with, didn't exactly specify why, but he did say it was because some episodes of The Simpsons were already banned. It could have something to do with the fact that Lisa wears a strapless dress, and Homer isn't exactly a model citizen—but Maggie too? What could she possibly have done to offend the authorities? More »

Barbie Goes Black Market in Iran

Anna North — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:15:00 EST

The latest casualty of worsening Iran-US relations is Barbie. The Iranian government is apparently cracking down on the sale of the popular perma-heeled doll, forcing some dealers underground. More »

Iran's First Lady Enjoys a Latin American Jaunt

Doug Barry — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST

Iran's first lady Azam al-Sadat Farahi, front, arrives to an air base as she prepares to depart Quito, Ecuador, Friday Jan. 13, 2012. Azam al-Sadat Farahi accompanied her husband, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during a four nation tour in Latin America. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) More »

Iranian Woman May Be Spared From Stoning, Hanged Instead

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:06:00 EST

When 44-year-old Iranian woman Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, the ruling provoked protest and calls for her release worldwide. Now Iranian officials have indicated that they may bend to international pressure, but they won't let Ashtiani go, they'll just hang her instead of stoning her. More »

Iran Condemns Two Soccer Players For Celebratory Butt Squeeze

Seth Abramovitch — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:40:00 EDT

The Iranian football federation has scrutinized controversial footage of Persepolis defender Mohammed Nosrati (below, left) squeezing teammate Sheis Rezaei's (right) firm buttocks following a goal during the Persian Gulf Cup, and ruled that the two players be fined $40,000 each and "banned indefinitely from all football activities for committing immoral acts." More »

Iranian Anti-Abortion Laws Aren't Particularly Effective

Erin Gloria Ryan — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:15:00 EDT

In Iran, abortion is illegal unless the life of the mother is in danger or if the fetus has a birth defect deemed serious enough to warrant medical intervention. Punishment for having a criminal abortion is nothing to sneeze at, either; offenders can find themselves behind bars for 3 to 10 years. So how are Iranian women coping with these restrictions? By getting abortions anyway, and sometimes dying as a result. See? Anti-abortion legislation works. More »

Actress Sentenced To 90 Lashes For Starring In Film Critical Of Iran

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:20:00 EDT

In 2008, Marzieh Vafamehr filmed My Tehran For Sale, an Australian film about an actress whose work is banned in Iran. Now Iranian officials have shown just how accurate the film's criticisms are by banning the movie, arresting Vafamehr, and sentencing her to a year in jail and 90 lashes for participating in the project. More »

Three Iranian Men Executed For Homosexuality

Anna North — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:05:00 EDT

Three men were executed in Iran on Sunday for "acts against the Sharia law and bad deeds" — specifically, for having sex with other men. The men were also charged with robbery and kidnapping, but they're believed to be the first men in many years to be executed for homosexuality without also being accused of rape. Says Iranian lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei, More »

Iranian Woman Blinded By Acid Saves Attacker From Eye For An Eye

Margaret Hartmann — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:38:00 EDT

In 2004, Majid Movahedi threw a cup of sulfuric acid in Ameneh Bahrami's face because she refused to marry him after years of sexual harassment. She was left blind and disfigured, and fought in Iranian court for the right to do the same to Movahedi. Three years ago the the court ordered that five drops of the chemical be put in his eyes, but today Bahrami granted him a pardon minutes before the sentence was to be carried out. More »

Iran Sending Monkey To Space

Anna North — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EDT

As part of its budding space program, Iran will soon be sending a monkey to space. More »

Iran Bans Necklaces For Men

Irin Carmon — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:20:00 EDT

The regime's "moral security plan" has added necklaces and "glamorous hairstyles" on men to the list of taboos. Someone must have told them it's a slippery slope from men in chains to boys in pink nail polish. More »

Elle Turkey Shoots Fashion Spread In Ruined Armenian City

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:07:00 EST

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In 1064, Turkish armies laid siege to Ani, a bustling, largely Armenian city of 200,000. They were ordered to destroy Ani, and kill everyone they found. In 2011, Elle Turkey used the ruins left behind for a fashion story. More »

Iranian Government Scrooges Valentine's Day

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Calling the holiday a result of Western religious influence, the Iranian government has banned exchange of Valentine's Day tokens and gifts this year. America's committment-phobes, meanwhile, quietly book round trip mid-February trips to Tehran. More »

Why Iran Has A "No Divorce Day"

Irin Carmon — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 11:51:00 EST

Clerics are freaking out about the fact that Iran's divorce rate is rising. They blame women's liberation. And why not, when there are twice as many female undergraduates in Iran's universities as men. More »

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thinks Girls Should Marry At 16

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:55:00 EST

The Ewok of Iran has suggested that younger marriages will help his country's birth rate increase, but it's possible that he's just trying to get the entire country featured on the next season of MTV's 16 and Pregnant. More »

Penis Tombstones Are Giant, Rock-Hard...And In Iran

Irin Carmon — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:40:00 EST

Let's face it, "Her hands tightly wrapped around a giant penis-shaped tombstone" is an irresistible story lede. Even if no one has much idea why there are penis-shaped tombstones in Iran. But who doesn't like an erotic countryside romp? More »

Miranda Kerr Poses Nude And Pregnant For W [NSFW]

Jenna Sauers — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST

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Miranda Kerr was photographed nude at six and a half months pregnant by Patrick Demarchelier. She told W magazine she realized she was knocked up the day she shot her Jil Sander campaign. Full pic below. [Fashionologie]

Iranian Woman Faces Stoning Tomorrow

Anna North — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:40:00 EDT

Iranian authorities have reportedly ordered that Sakineh Ashtiani be executed for adultery tomorrow, and protesters are mounting a last-ditch effort to save her. More »

A Painted Lady With A Malicious Look

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:03:00 EDT

[London, October 18: A gallery assistant for Sotheby's auction house views artwork by Hassan Hajjaj entitled 'Malicious Look' which is expected to fetch 8,000 GBP in their sale of Contemporary Arab and Iranian art. Image via Getty.]

Iranian Chocolate Thief Will Lose His Hand

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:08:00 EDT

An Iranian man convicted of robbing a candy shop has been sentenced to have his hand cut off, plus one year in prison. Police arrested him after finding $900, gloves, and "a large amount of chocolate" in his car. More »

Iran's Mixed Messages On Woman's Stoning Sentence

Anna North — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:57:00 EDT

Iran's chief prosecutor says Sakineh Ashtiani could still face stoning for adultery. This contradicts a report that the stoning had been canceled, and President Ahmadinejad's statement that the sentence "was made up." More »

Is Virginia's Death-Row Woman Our Sakineh Ashtiani?

Anna North — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:30:00 EDT

For the first time in a hundred years, a woman is on death row in Virginia. Now Iran is calling the US hypocritical for its objection to the execution of Sakineh Ashtiani. Are they right? More »

Carla Bruni A "Prostitute" For Opposing Stoning

Anna North — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:55:00 EDT

French first lady Carla Bruni has spoken out against the death sentence of Sakineh Ashtiani — and as a result, the Iranian press are calling her a "prostitute." More »

Officials Find Tiger Cub Smuggled Amongst Stuffed Animals

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:48:00 EDT

Last Sunday, airport staff in Bangkok rescued this two-month-old tiger cub from a smuggler boarding a plane to Iran. The poor little guy was drugged and hidden in a pile of stuffed toy tigers. More »

Polanski Apologist Becomes Anti-Stoning Advocate

Anna North — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:30:00 EDT

Bernard-Henri Levy, the mastermind of the celebrity petition to free Roman Polanski, has now started a campaign to persuade the Iranian government to spare Sakineh Ashtiani from stoning. He's an odd man for the job. More »

Brazilian President Offers Asylum To Iranian Mom

Anna North — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:30:00 EDT

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has offered asylum to Sakineh Ashtiani, the mother of two initially sentenced to death by stoning in Iran. Unfortunately, her fate still remains uncertain. More »

Iranian Mom Won't Be Stoned To Death, But Isn't Safe Yet

Anna North — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:56:00 EDT

Iranian authorities now say mother-of-two Sakineh Mohammadie Ashtiani will not be stoned for adultery. However, she may still be executed. More »

Can An Iranian Woman Be Saved From Death By Stoning?

Anna North — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:45:00 EDT

An Iranian woman is set to be stoned to death for adultery — but pressure from the international community could change that. More »

Neda's Doppelganger Lives In Exile

Katy Kelleher — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EDT

Neda Agha-Soltan has become the face of the Iranian resistance movement, as has Neda Soltani. But unlike Soltan, whose death made her world famous, Soltani is still alive. More »

Details, Details

Anna Holmes — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:10:00 EDT

[Shanghai; June 11. Image via AP]

The Life And Death Of Neda, Translated To Film

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EDT

It has been almost a year since Neda Agha-Soltan was gunned down during the protests in Iran. Last week, HBO released For Neda to commemorate her death and reveal more of the woman behind the symbol. More »

Lady Gaga Talks Music And Fashion; Plus-Size Models In French Marie Claire

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EDT

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Lady Gaga spent two hours answering questions live online. "I need fashion for my music, and I need music for my fashion," she said. [SHOWStudio]
That Gaga: Always destroying her Birkins. [Fashin]

The Green Revolution

Anna Holmes — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:10:00 EDT

[Tehran, May 26. Image via AP]

Detained American Hikers To Wed

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:40:00 EDT

Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, two of the American hikers being held in Iran on suspicion of spying, have just gotten engaged. According to their moms, Bauer proposed in the prison exercise area with a ring made from thread. [AP] More »

Octomom Wants You To Neuter Your Pets; Elephant Poop To Be Used As A Power Source

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:00:00 EDT

• Today in irony: Nadya Suleman — she of the eight babies — is being paid by PETA to advertise their spay and neuter campaign on her front door. More »

Iran Named To UN Gender Equality Group Despite Obvious Issues

Anna North — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:30:27 EDT

This week the UN gave Iran a four-year seat on its Commission on the Status of Women. But some activists criticize the decision, saying "Iran's discriminatory laws demonstrate that the Islamic Republic does not believe in gender equality." [FOX News] More »

Iranian Police Crack Down On "Walking Mannequins"

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:20:00 EDT

In response to tightened dress codes, police in Tehran have begun cracking down on women who dare to "defy our Islamic values" by tanning. Women who have a suntan can now be arrested for "social misbehavior." [Telegraph] More »

Get Ready For The Boobquake

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:20:00 EDT

Blogger Jen McCreight has proposed that, on April 26, women worldwide don their most immodest tops and see if they can move the earth through the power of exposed skin. Fight foolishness, and join the cause here. [BlagHag] More »

Mother Nature Hates Your Tube Top

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:40:00 EDT

Slutty clothes cause all kinds of problems; they've been blamed for everything from rape to earthquakes. According to an Iranian cleric: "Women who do not dress modestly... corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which increases earthquakes." [Guardian, WSJ] More »

Casey Anthony's Prison Buddies Speak • Teen Sues Mom Over Facebook Slander

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:40:00 EDT

• Casey Anthony's former jail-house friend recently told police that Anthony confessed to "knocking out" her 2-year-old daughter with chloroform so she could go out and party. She also gave several different accounts of Caylee's disappearance, including: More »