The French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” renewed its attack on Iran, following it published cartoons mocking Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while the Lebanese Hezbollah called on the French authorities on Tuesday to punish the magazine.
And “Charlie Hebdo” published new cartoons criticizing the regime in Iran, as the managing editor known as “Rais” wrote in the editorial of the issue issued today, Wednesday, “The clerics are not happy. It does not seem that the caricatures of their supreme leader … make them laugh a lot.”
Rees added that the magazine received 300 cartoons drawn by Iranians, most of them exiles, and chose among them “the most successful in communicating the idea and the most original.”
And “Charlie Hebdo” published the cartoons a few days ago in a special issue on the occasion of the anniversary of the attack on its office in Paris on January 7, 2015, following it published cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace.
Last month, the magazine announced the launch of a competition to support the protests taking place in Iran.
After the cartoons were published, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador to Tehran, Nicholas Roche, last Thursday to the ministry’s headquarters, and handed him a diplomatic note that included “Iran’s strong protest once morest the unacceptable abuse.”
Dozens of Iranians gathered Sunday in front of the French embassy in Tehran, where they burned French flags, while the “Charlie Hebdo” website was subjected to electronic attacks.
On the other hand, Hezbollah described the insulting cartoons of Khamenei as an “ugly act,” and said in a statement yesterday that “hiding behind the categories of freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, and freedom of the media has become exposed and does not benefit its owners.”
Hezbollah called on the French government to “take decisive measures to punish those responsible for this act because of their assault on the sanctities and dignity of an entire nation.”
