“Covid-19 vaccines turn people into gays and homosexuals, avoid people who have received them”- Iranian Cleric warns

Ayatollah Abbas Tabrizian, an Iranian Cleric has sounded a warning to all his fans to avoid people who have taken the Covid-19 vaccines, according to him, such people have turned into homosexuals.

The Cleric said this on his telegram handle which has over 210,000 followers, here is what he said,
“Don’t go near those who have had the COVID vaccine,” he said.
“They have become homosexuals.”

His homophobic warning has attracted criticisms from all angles especially from those who belong to the LBGT community, health officials and others.

“Like other clerics in the regime, also Tabrizian relates all the shortages [shortcomings] to sexuality,” dissident Sheina Vojoudi told The Jerusalem Post.
“The clerics in Iran are suffering from lack of knowledge and humanity.

“Actually, his goal of spreading nonsense is to try to scare people [out] of getting vaccinated, while the leader of the regime and other officials got Pfizer, and they don’t provide it for the people with the excuse that they don’t trust the West.”

A UK human rights activist Peter Tatchell while speaking on the statement made by Ayatollah Tabrizian said,

“Ayatollah Tabrizian combines scientific ignorance with a crude appeal to homophobia.”
“He’s demonising both the vaccination program and LGBT+ people without a shred of evidence.

“By seeking to scare the public into not getting vaccinated against Covid-19, he is fuelling the pandemic and putting lives at risk.

“Typical of many Iranian religious and political leaders, his bizarre, irrational claims scapegoat LGBTs and put theological prejudice before scientific knowledge.”

In Iran, within the year 1979 to 2019, most members of the LGBT community have been killed and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javid Zarif has dismissed international outrage over its anti-gay policies, he said,
“Our society has moral principles, and according to these principles we live…
“These are moral principles regarding the behaviour of people in general, and that is because the law is upheld and you abide by laws.”