Anger as nude statues are covered in Rome for the visit of Iranian President

Barcroft

State visit: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani

Ancient nude statues were covered with white boxes in Rome in order not to embarrass­ the President of Iran.
Hassan Rouhani , who is Muslim, had his blushes spared as he toured the city’s Capitoline Museums on a state visit.
No wine was served at the official dinner.
But the move infuriated right-wing politicians in Italy, who accused Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s office of 'submitting to an oppressive culture' and 'failing to defend western culture and history'.
Federico Mollicone of Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party said: “It dishonours­ centuries of our history. An embarrassment that affirms the inferiority of the west versus Islam.

Barbara Saltamartini, of the Northern League party, said: "Whoever comes in our country, and this goes for an Iranian president as well, must accept our values and identity which must be defended not hidden."

 

Covered up: Nude statues at Rome's Capitoline Museum were hidden with white boxes

Fabio Rampelli, MP in the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, said: "The decision to cover the nudity of some statues in the Capitoline museums is worthy of the worst Islamic terrorist.

"It offends western culture and the supremacy of art as a vehicle of culture and freedom."

The visit was to mark the end of the sanction imposed on Iran.