Posted on 12/10/2012 6:03:44 PM PST by nickcarraway
Sweden's newly appointed ambassador in Tehran has reportedly upset Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - by crossing his legs during a meeting.
According to Iranian website Asriran.com the Swedish ambassador, Peter Tejler, committed the apparently offensive act after a ceremony in which he presented his credentials to the president.
It is unclear, though, whether the president himself was offended by the ambassador's cross-legged pose or whether this was, in fact, the interpretation of events by Asriran.com. Photos from the meeting show Ahmadinejad himself sitting cross-legged, too.
Armenian website Panorama translated the Iranian website's report, which explains that crossing one's legs "contradicts international diplomatic norms".
The report continues: "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for his part, himself crossed his legs in response to the impoliteness of his interlocutor."
Photographs from the meeting indeed show Tejler sitting cross-legged, his right foot pointing slightly upwards.
The Atlantic Wire has published this explanation, from the University of West Florida, of why it is a taboo in Muslim culture to show the soles of one's feet.
"Pointing the soles of the feet towards someone is impolite because the soles of the feet (shoe) are considered dirty, closest to the ground, closer to the devil and farther away from God. When in the presence of Muslims, be careful not to raise or cross your legs in such a way that the sole of the foot faces others in the room."
The website of the Swedish Embassy in Tehran confirms that the ceremony and meeting took place in on December 3rd but has no mention of the ambassador's and the president's sitting poses.
Just another sign that these people are nuts.
Geee .. I certainly hope so.
"He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
Always angry about something.
It’s like dealing with superstitious cavemen. They freak out when the sun goes behind a cloud.
Muslims are so sensitive. Dangerously so.
Just another sign that these people are nuts savages.
“Lighten up, Francis.”
I’m offended by people with beards,first thing I think is LAZY DIRT BAG
Photographs from the meeting indeed show Tejler sitting cross-legged, his right foot pointing slightly upwards.————
Showing the soles of your shoes is the ultimate insult in the
IsloF diplomatic protocol. Good on the diplomat!
I was going to post a pic of Sharon Stone in the
famous leg crossing scene but couldn’t get it to load.
Muslims are insane.
Have you noticed that the Muslims always expect others to respect them???
True story: I was in the Baghdad airport a few years ago (before 0bama turned it back over to the Jihadists). There was a small group of Muslims sitting not too far away and, shortly after I sat down, one of them crossed his legs such that the bottom of one of his feet pointed in my direction (true gratitude that America had saved him from a ruthless dictator - I began to question right then whether these people could ever govern themselves). Upon seeing the bottom of his foot pointing in my direction and knowing the custom (actually, it’s a religious mandate), I quickly crossed my legs such that one of my feet was pointing in his direction. The entire group got up and walked away immediately (most of them are cowards), but I made sure my foot stayed pointed in their direction until they disappeared.
Not only has 0bama shown the soles of his feet to the American people, he’s shown his ass as he was bowing to foreign potentates!
Smith-Goodspeed translation: “. . . a wild ASS of a man.”
Oldplayer
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