Thursday, January 04, 2007
Furore in Iran over 'Turkish dancing' accusations http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\01\04\story_4-1-2007_pg4_24
TEHRAN: An Iranian vice president has filed a complaint against two lawmakers after a furore erupted over his alleged attendance at a ceremony in Turkey where women were dancing, the Fars news agency reported. Esfandyar Rahim Mashaie has accused the MPs of conducting a smear campaign against him by distributing a CD, which purports to show him applauding while a woman stages an oriental dance at an official ceremony in Turkey. It is considered strictly forbidden under Islam in Iran for a man to watch an unrelated woman dancing and such allegations are deeply sensitive for a member of conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government. Mashaie, who is also head of Iran's tourism and culture organisation, has accused MPs Emad Afrough and Saeed Abotaleb of doctoring the video to show him applauding the dancing and said he did not attend that section of the ceremony. "They lied since they edited a portion of the opening session when there was dancing, trying to say that I was there during the whole show," he said, adding "Of course I clapped but not during that dance."
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