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Iran summoned Australia's ambassador in Tehran over the publication of an Instagram post the government deemed "norm-breaking", Iran's semi-official ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday, a day after state media said the post had "promoted homosexuality".
The post on the embassy's official Instagram account celebrated "Wear It Purple Day" and expressed dedication to creating "a supporting environment where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves".
"Let's keep championing diversity and inclusion for a brighter, more inclusive future," it said.
ILNA quoted Australia's ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, as saying the post was not intended to insult the Iranian people and their values, and that the Islamic Republic was not mentioned in it.
The post remains live on the Australian embassy's Instagram account.
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Iran's Mehr news agency, another semi-official government news agency headquartered in Tehran, quoted the director of the Regional Department at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as having "strongly condemned the action of the Australian embassy in posting such content that was against the accepted norms".
"The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs and culture," the Iranian diplomat was quoted as saying, also suggesting that posting such content was violating international law.
Homosexual activity is illegal in Iran, which is governed by Islamic clerical authorities, and gay sex can be punished by the death penalty.
In 2022, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described homosexuality as part of the "moral depravity" widespread in Western civilisation.
Australia has maintained a diplomatic presence in Iran since first opening its Tehran embassy in 1968.
Mr McConville, a senior career diplomat whose previous postings include South Korea, Nigeria and the United Nations, was appointed as ambassador in April of this year.
Earlier this month, Iran's ambassador to Australia was similarly "called in" by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade over a post on X advocating for the violent removal of Israelis from "the holy lands of Palestine" by "no later than 2027".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the remarks were abhorrent, hateful and anti-Semitic, and "it's entirely inappropriate for [ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi] to engage in that way".
The ABC has approached the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
ABC/Reuters