The greeting with the hand on the chest and nod of the Iranian ambassador, Hassan Ghashghavi, to Queen Letizia at the reception to the Diplomatic Corps, generated a false controversy yesterday after some media, which were not present at the Royal Palace , will interpret the gesture as a rudeness. This Thursday, the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Madrid, regretted in a statement that this gesture, habitual in Iranian men, has been misinterpreted.
The way of greeting the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been repeated, in different official acts, (the one before Wednesday, took place at the reception on October 12), for decades, both in times of the queen Sofia, as more recently with Queen Letizia, who, like her predecessor, is warned by the protocol services of this singularity. On Wednesday, the Queen, aware of the way the current and former Iranian ambassadors greeted (perhaps annoyed, but not surprised by other people's customs), remained with her arms close to her body and made no gesture to bring her hand closer to the diplomat; She responded with a minimal courtesy nod to her nod, then turned her gaze to the Croatian ambassador who was next in the line of greetings that took place in the Gasparini room of the Royal Palace.
This Thursday, the Embassy of Iran in Spain regretted, in an official statement, that there have been "misjudgments, especially on social networks, due to the greeting of its ambassador, Hassan Ghashghavi, to Queen Letizia." The diplomatic representation has explained that, as has happened in other years, instead of shaking her hand, the ambassador addressed the queen in a formal manner, placing his hands on her chest, "as is the tradition in the ceremonial of the Republic Islamic". The embassy recalls that "this greeting is based on ancient and well-known ceremonial principles of Iran in all receptions around the world" and, at the same time, points out that "when confirming the ambassador's attendance at the event, he warned the protocol of the Royal House that the greeting to Queen Letizia would be done in front of her and that due to protocol issues "she cannot shake hands with Her Majesty the Queen".
For years, on several occasions the representatives of Arab countries, and more so those of the Islamic orbit, have avoided, in official acts, physical contact with women, even with official representation such as queens or ministers, even Japanese diplomats opted for the traditional nod.
The current situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose rulers have responded with extreme harshness, including the death penalty, the protests of women and youth in Tehran, yesterday focused on the attitude of ambassador Hassan Ghashghavi, but the truth is that His greeting was the same that the media, which over the years have been present at the reception, have been able to see on other occasions. The Zarzuela Protocol service is aware of these singularities and accepts the customs of other countries, including those that affect clothing, without this meaning that it approves any gesture that demonstrates discrimination against women. In fact, both Queen Sofia and Queen Letizia have tried on their official trips to Arab countries to have gestures that show her position in favor of women.
