2006 Iranian sumptuary law hoax

False Canadian news report Long, rambling, poorly referenced, unencyclopedic article containing far too many quotes March 2019 March 2012 On May 19, 2006, the National Post in Canada published an article titled "Iran Eyes Badges for Jews: Law would require non-Muslim insignia" by Iranian in exile Amir Taheri alleging that the Iranian parliament had passed a sumptuary law mandating a national dress code for all Iranians, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. The article went on to say that non-Muslim religious minorities in Iran would be required to wear "special insignia": yellow for Jews, red for Christians and blue for Zoroastrians. According to the article by Taheri, "the new codes would enable Muslims to easily recognize non-Muslims so that they can avoid shaking hands with them by mistake, and thus becoming najis (ritually unclean)".Amir Taheri Amir Taheri A colour code for Iran's 'infidels' National Post Canada May 19, 2006 http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=398274b5-9210-43e4-ba59-fa24f4c66ad4&k=28534&p=1 20 May 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060601040500/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=398274b5-9210-43e4-ba59-fa24f4c66ad4&k=28534&p=1 June 1, 2006 dead mdy Numerous other sources, including Maurice Motamed, the Jewish member of the Iranian parliament and the Iranian Embassy in Canada, refuted the report as untrue. The National Post later retracted the original article and published an article, to the contrary ("Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue").Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue National Post Canada May 19, 2006 http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3 May 20, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060528095512/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3 May 28, 2006 dead The original article listed only "human rights groups" and "Iranian expatriates living in Canada" as its sources. Amir Taheri made a statement on May 22, 2006, saying the National Post story he authored was used by "a number of reports that somehow jumped the gun" and that he stands by the article.Amir Taheri Amir Taheri http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/19508 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20060524191714/http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/19508 24 May 2006 Benador Associates Amir Taheri addresses queries about dress code story 22 May 2006 26 January 2025 On May 24, 2006, the National Post issued an apology for the reports that the Iranian law would "require Jews and other religious minorities in Iran to wear badges... We apologize for the mistake and for the consternation it has caused not just National Post readers, but the broader public who read the story." Reaction In a follow-up article, the National Post quoted Meir Javedanfar, an Israeli expert on Iran and the Middle East, as saying that the Islamic dress law contained no requirements of special insignia, and that "The Iranian people would never stand for" them and "The Iranian government wouldn't be stupid enough to do it."http://www.940news.com/locale.php?news=2511 https://web.archive.org/web/20060521170610/http://www.940news.com/locale.php?news=2511 May 21, 2006 Iran report of Holocaust-style badges questioned 940news.com May 19, 2006 May 20, 2006 The Associated Press stated that "a draft law moving through parliament encourages Iranians to wear Islamic clothing to protect the country's Muslim identity but does not mention special attire for religious minorities, according to a copy obtained Saturday by The Associated Press."The Associated Press Iranian Law Would Encourage Islamic Dress Associated Press May 20, 2006 https://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/05/20/ap2760881.html May 21, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060714122115/http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/05/20/ap2760881.html July 14, 2006 dead Reuters also reported that "A copy of the bill obtained by Reuters contained no such references. Reuters correspondents who followed the dress code session in parliament as it was broadcast on state radio heard no discussion of proscriptions for religious minorities."Reuters Iran dress code law does not target minorities – MPs May 20, 2006 http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-05-21T190011Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-250326-1.xml&archived=False May 21, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060616190250/http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-05-21T190011Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-250326-1.xml&archived=False June 16, 2006 dead Iranian commentator Ali Reza Nourizadeh said that a motion had been made to impose such requirements, but that it had never come close to becoming law. Meir Jawadnafar, an Iranian exile living in Israel, called the report "baseless" in an interview with the Toronto Star.https://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1148077815553 Tehran denounces 'baseless' report May 20, 2006 May 21, 2006 Toronto Star Toronto Star https://web.archive.org/web/20060620082031/http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar%2FLayout%2FArticle_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1148077815553 June 20, 2006 live According to Kayhan, the Iranian foreign ministry called the Canadian Ambassador to Iran for an explanation and apology. Some Iranian journalists and analysts asked the Iranian government to file a case in international court against the National Post, as BBC Persian reported.https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran/story/2006/05/060522_he-mb-press مرور روزنامه های تهران: 1 خرداد fa BBC Persian 22 May 2006 2025-05-18 Review of Tehran newspapers: June 1 Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted to the report during a news conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Harper said the Iranian regime is "very capable of this kind of action" and that "It boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the Earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany".It's so easy to smear Iran https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/its-so-easy-to-smear-iran/article20411860/ 2021-07-09 On May 21, Iran summoned Canada's ambassador to Tehran to explain Harper's remarks.Reuters Iran summons Venner over PM's remarks Reuters Canada May 24, 2006 http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-24T171651Z_01_OLI455427_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-IRAN-CANADA-COL.XML May 24, 2006 | date=January 2013 January 2013 Apology The National Post issued an apology from editor-in-chief Douglas Kelly on May 24, stating, "It is now clear the story is not true." Amir Taheri was identified as the initial source for the "story of the alleged badge law"."Our mistake: Note to readers" https://web.archive.org/web/20060612182659/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6df3e493-f350-4b53-bc16-53262b49a4f7 June 12, 2006 , National Post, May 24, 2006 The apology attributed "previous statements of the Iranian President" as a factor that contributed to the decision to run the story.http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/badges.asp Iranian Law Requires Badges for Jews and Christians 2007-09-04 Snopes.com 2017-10-07 en-US See also Yellow badge References 30em National Post story: A colour code for Iran's 'infidels', May 19, 2006 External links Who Started the Iranian Badge Story? Category:Canada–Iran relations Category:Dress codes (legal) Category:Fake news Category:Foreign relations of Iran Iranian sumptuary law controversy Sumptuary law controversy Iranian sumptuary law controversy Category:Islam-related controversies in North America Category:Hoaxes in Canada Category:2006 hoaxes Category:Journalistic hoaxes Category:National Post Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Canada