Iran: Woman too sexy for public office

More Twists and Turns than Owen Wilson’s Nose in a Blender…

Possibly taking its cue from a recent U.S. state supreme court decision, an Iranian election review board has ruled that a legally elected city councilor cannot take office due to being “way too hot,” as reported by The Independent.

Out of the 163 candidates running for the city council of the Iranian city of Qazvin, 27-year-old Nina Siahkali Moradi received not only well over 10,000 votes, but she also found her quest for public office better than hoped when she unexpectedly came in in 14th place.

Unfortunately for the comely Nina, there are only thirteen seats on the Qazvin City Council. Yet according to Iranian civil law, 14th place is good enough for her to be designated as an “alternate member of the Council,” effectively placing her on the reserve squad. Of course, the story doesn’t end there. One of the city councilors resigned to assume the office of mayor, therefore opening the door for Citizen Moradi to become Councilor Moradi.

Just Islamists Being Islamists…

Before Moradi was sworn into office, an Iranian election review board ended her political career before it even began. An unnamed member of the review board explained its collective reasoning: “We don’t want a catwalk model on the council.”

Currently studying to be an architect, Moradi reportedly ran quite the impressive campaign, which was described as “visually impressive,” to include plenty of photos of herself complete with government mandated hijab (Muslim women’s headscarf).

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran charges the government with deep sixing Moradi due to her “non-observance of Islamic codes” and suggests that her election campaign posters were the basis for complaints from more politically seasoned Islamist rivals. Iranian Parliamentarian and review board member Seyed Reza Hossaini was quoted by the news agency IranWire as cryptically observing:

Her votes have been nullified due to her disqualification, as the review board did not approve her credentials.

Perhaps the Iranians follow the American media closer than many think. Last month the Iowa Supreme Court ruled it was perfectly legal for a business owner to fire an employee whose sex appeal could become a personal distraction to co-workers.