Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is under fire for an “un-Islamic” embrace of Hugo Chavez’s mother, Elena Frias, at the late Venezuelan president’s funeral Friday.
According to the website of the Iranian parliament, the president is facing sharp criticism from Islamic conservatives who supported him during the June 2008 election.
Iranian MP Mohammed Dehghan said that such an act by a prominent executive official opposes the behavior of a Muslim who is constrained by religious commitments, Al Arabiya reports. He also called on scholars to confront the president’s “un-Islamic” behavior.
Former MP Hojatoleslam Mohammed Taghi Rahbar said Mr. Ahmadinejad “lost control,” Al Arabiya reports.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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