Iranian cleric to Ahmadinejad: stop controversial religious remarks

Jul 13, 2010, 16:16 GMT

Berlin - A senior Iranian cleric called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday to avoid making controversial remarks on religious issues, ISNA news agency reported.

'I call on Mr. Ahmadinejad to avoid entering controversial issues related to the religious domain,' Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told ISNA in an interview.

Ahmadinejad has caused some anger among the country's clergy circles by having made comments on issues such as the Islamic dress code of women, wearing neckties by men, or allowing women to attend football matches.

In Islamic Iran such issues are usually discussed and decided exclusively by the clergy rather than the government and the president.

'I as a sympathizer of the president therefore advise him that entering this field is not to his expedience and would solely weaken his government,' said Khatami, who himself is hardliner and deputy head of the powerful clergy body of Experts Assembly.

Ahmadinejad had in the initial phase of his presidency in 2005 said that women should be allowed entry to football matches.

His demand was however vehemently rejected by leading clerics who said the male-dominated atmosphere in football stadiums and vulgar language used by male fans were not appropriate for women.

Just recently Ahmadinejad caused renewed anger within the clergy after he said that women not fully implementing the Hijab or Islamic dress code - wearing long gown and scarf to conceal body contours and hair in public - should not be bothered by vice squads.

The clergy, including Ayatollah Khatami, harshly criticized the president's remarks and said without strict police control and constant observation, Iranian women would fall into to the trap of Western cultural tastes and gradually ignore Islamic rules.

In a press conference last month, Ahmadinejad however once again reiterated his position and said that not police force, but rather cultural education was needed on the Hijab issue.

The Iranian Culture Ministry was even forced to accept a list of so-called culturally appropriate haircuts for men.

The new limitations are regarded by observers as another effort by the clergy for confronting what it calls 'Western cultural invasion.'

Ayatollah Khatami also criticized another remark by Ahmadinejad on men wearing neckties, another issue which is considered by the Iranian clergy as symbol of decayed Western culture.

Ahmadinejad had said that no high-ranking Iranian cleric has so far issued any decree against wearing neckties, indicating that there should at least be no religious problem in this regard.

Khatami however said that several Iranian ayatollahs, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have made specific decrees with regard of banning neckties for men.

Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iranian officials have not worn neckties as part of their protest against Western symbols.

In the 1980s, men wearing neckties were frequently stopped by vice squads who cut their ties off.

But gradually Iranian men, especially physicians and private firm managers, began to wear neckties again. The necktie also gradually became routine again for wedding ceremonies and other formal events.