The Latest Musings of Ayatollah Khamenei, Feminist

In marking International Women's Day, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has accused the West of objectifying women.

TEHRAN, IRAN - FEBRUARY 28: A posture featuring the picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is passed by Iranian women outside Ali Zakani's main campaign headquarters on February 28, 2012 inTehran, Iran. Campaigning began in Iran on February 23 for the parliamentary elections due to take place on March 2, the first national poll since 2009, when the voters will chose lawmakers (known as the Majlis) for the 290 seats in the parliament.  (Photo by )
TEHRAN, IRAN - FEBRUARY 28: A posture featuring the picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is passed by Iranian women outside Ali Zakani's main campaign headquarters on February 28, 2012 inTehran, Iran. Campaigning began in Iran on February 23 for the parliamentary elections due to take place on March 2, the first national poll since 2009, when the voters will chose lawmakers (known as the Majlis) for the 290 seats in the parliament. (Photo by )
TEHRAN, IRAN - FEBRUARY 28: A posture featuring the picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is passed by Iranian women outside Ali Zakani's main campaign headquarters on February 28, 2012 inTehran, Iran. Campaigning began in Iran on February 23 for the parliamentary elections due to take place on March 2, the first national poll since 2009, when the voters will chose lawmakers (known as the Majlis) for the 290 seats in the parliament. (Photo by )

In April 2014, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed Western criticism of gender roles as an “intellectual mistake.”

In April 2014, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed Western criticism of gender roles as an “intellectual mistake.”

A woman at home is the source of peace, the source of peace for the man, and the source of peace for the children,” he said in a speech.

For this year’s International Women’s Day, Khamenei took his campaign to Twitter, accusing the West of objectifying women.

“[The] basis of western culture is that women should be presented in society as a product, an object that men can benefit from,” he posted in an infographic that included a cartoon woman covered in a barcode.

See Tuesday’s tweet below:

Photo credit: MAJID SAEEDI/Getty Images

Henry Johnson is a fellow at Foreign Policy. He graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a degree in history and previously wrote for LobeLog. Twitter: @HenryJohnsoon

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