Iran State TV Fires Managers Over 'Insult' to Sunnis

Iranian state TV has fired two channel managers over a live program deemed insulting to Sunni Muslims, it said in a statement Sunday.

The sackings at Channel 5 came after a broadcast on May 20 celebrating the birthday of the second imam in Shiite Islam, Hassan ibn Ali.

During the program, religious chanter and story-teller Ahmad Qadami recited a eulogy that "insulted the sanctities of Sunni Muslims", according to official news agency IRNA.

"Following the negligence of airing an irreverent chanter's speech on Channel 5, the channel's head and broadcast manager were fired," state TV's website quoted head manager Abdolali Aliaskari as saying.

The channel's senior producer, program manager and video supervisor were also fired, TV deputy head Morteza Mirbagheri told semi-official news agency ISNA.

According to IRNA, the chanter was summoned by Iran's culture and media court on Sunday and further investigations into his case are pending.

Iran is a Shiite powerhouse, but under the country's constitution, Sunnis—who account for around 10 percent of the population—are "free to perform their religious rites according to their religious jurisprudence.”

Photo: IRNA

Iran TV Boss Fired Over Jackie Chan Sex Scene

A regional boss of Iran's state broadcaster IRIB has been fired after inadvertently letting a Jackie Chan sex scene slip through its tight censorship rules, local media reported on Monday.

Viewers on Iran's Kish Island were shocked when their local TV station showed the martial arts star having sex with a prostitute in one of his films.

That is far beyond the usual limits in Iran, where men and women are not even allowed to shake hands on screen. 

There was a quick response after a viewer posted the clip online. 

"Clips of immoral scenes of a film featuring Jackie Chan have been circulating on social media which was apparently shown by Kish IRIB," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

“These scenes which are in total contradiction with the principles of IRIB has ultimately led to the dismissal and reprimand of some of the employees of IRIB in Kish," it said, adding this included IRIB's director-general for Kish. 

There were angry responses from some Iranians pointing out that no one had been fired over a fatal bus crash that killed 10 students at Tehran's Azad University last week.  

"Buses turn over, planes crash, ships sink... no one is dismissed... A few seconds of Jackie Chan making love on IRIB and immediately all staff in that section are sacked," wrote one Twitter user.

IRIB TV presenter Reza Rashidpoor joked on his morning talk show that the controversy could have been avoided if IRIB had included a caption saying Chan was married to the actress playing the prostitute. 

He was referring to a program last week in which IRIB added a caption to say a couple holding hands on screen were married in real life. 

Photo Credit: Wikicommons