Rushdie’s stabbing highlights divisions in Iranian society

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) – Many Iranians have turned to social media to point out their anger and reward over the assault on novelist Salman Rushdie at a lecture in New York state, with some conspiracy theories linking it to Tehran’s nuclear talks in Vienna.

Rushdie remained hospitalised after he was repeatedly stabbed on Friday. His agent has mentioned he’s more likely to lose an eye fixed, amongst different accidents.

Authorities in Iran, the place the creator’s novel “The Satanic Verses” had drawn loss of life threats since 1989, have made no public remark in regards to the assault. However hardline state media shops have celebrated it with headlines like “Devil has been blinded”.

Many abnormal Iranians have expressed their sympathies, nonetheless, posting on social media about their anger on the Islamic Republic’s clerical rulers for issuing a fatwa, or non secular edict, in 1989 that urged Muslims to kill Rushdie.

“By means of the fatwa, the Iranian regime is accountable for the assault on Salman Rushdie. This assault shouldn’t be solely an assault on freedom of speech, however exhibits how dictators have expanded their attain all over the world to problem safety,” tweeted an Iranian person recognized as Behrouz Boochani.

In 2019, Twitter suspended Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s account over a tweet that mentioned the fatwa issued by the late founding father of Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in opposition to Rushdie was “stable and irrevocable”.

Iran blocks entry to Fb, Twitter and YouTube however hundreds of thousands of Iranians simply get round that by utilizing digital personal networks.

Some Iranians have blamed the US of plotting to disrupt the nuclear talks, throughout which Tehran and Washington have been struggling to salvage Iran’s nuclear pact with world powers that former U.S. President Donald trump exited in 2018.

“…, is not it odd that as we close to a possible nuclear deal, the US makes claims a few hit on (John) Bolton… after which this occurs?,” Mohammad Marandi, a media adviser to Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, tweeted – drawing a whole bunch of likes and retweets, in addition to folks chiming in with their very own comparable feedback.

Washington has charged an Iranian with plotting to homicide Bolton, a nationwide safety adviser to Trump. Iran has rejected the accusation as “baseless”.

In its on-line Sunday subject, the hardline Kayhan newspaper, whose editor-in-chief is appointed by Khamenei, wrote: “Divine vengeance has befallen Rushdie. Trump and (former U.S. Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo are subsequent.”

These feedback echoed reward for the attacker in different hardline Iranian media on Saturday. On-line posters additionally voiced their vitriol.

“I hope you die,” tweeted Iranian Mohammad, utilizing the trending hashtag #SalmanRushdie in Farsi.

The accused attacker, 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, pleaded not responsible to prices of tried homicide and assault at a courtroom look on Saturday.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Modifying by Alison Williams)