Rafsanjani: French Headscarf Ban an Insult
January 10, 2004
Reuters
The Peninsula
TEHRAN -- Iran’s former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani yesterday said a French government plan to ban Islamic headscarves from public schools was an insult to all Muslims and hinted the move may harm France’s ties with Iran.
“I hope the French government and (President Jacques) Chirac himself, as well as the French parliament understand they have insulted one and half billion Muslims,” Rafsanjani told worshippers at Friday Prayers in Tehran.
Chirac on Tuesday tried to ease concern about a planned law, which would also apply to Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses, saying the move was an effort to uphold France’s commitment to keep church and state separate.
But French Muslim groups have said the proposal appeared aimed mostly at Muslim girls and would promote discrimination against Muslims.
Rafsanjani, who heads Iran’s powerful Expediency Council arbitration body and retains significant influence over foreign policy, warned that the proposed ban would damage France’s relations with the Islamic world, including Iran.
“France has engaged in an adventure where it will fail, and if not, will cost them the curse of millions of people. It will be a dark point in French relations with Islamic countries,” he said in the sermon, which was broadcast live on state radio.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Gulf%2C+Middle+East+%26+Africa&month=January2004&file=World_News2004011022511.xmlMr. Rafsanjani and the Islamic Republics mandatory veil is not 'offensive', and is not insulting to Iranian Muslims?
What a jerk.