Iran has strongly criticized a poster displayed on a bus in the French city of Beziers, which depicted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alongside other world leaders in a campaign promoting waste sorting. The poster, which also featured images of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, bore the slogan “Don’t forget to sort the trash.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry, through its Western Europe Director General Majid Nili, condemned the display as an “insult” to the values and figures of Iran. Nili emphasized that such actions violate international norms and disrespects the cultural values of other nations. He urged the French government to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The poster’s release comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and France, as Iran holds several French nationals in detention. France has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Iran until those individuals are freed, labeling them as “hostages.” French President Emmanuel Macron recently called Iran “the main strategic and security challenge” for both France and Europe, a stance that has further strained relations between the two countries.