Iran summons Australian ambassador over ‘norm-breaking’ content online

In 2022, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described homosexuality as part of the “moral depravity” widespread in Western civilisation.

Western rights groups have often accused Iran’s clerical authorities of restricting social and sexual freedoms – gay sex is outlawed and can be punished by the death penalty. Tehran says the criticism is baseless and arises from a lack of understanding of its Islamic legal code.