Don't touch me I am Iranian.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....s-medal-ceremony.html

That's rich, I wonder what would have happened if the Duchess had refused to shake his hand, due to Iran's record on human rights?

[argorstran]

AOG the explanation is given in the article along with information that the duchess had been briefed beforehand , so she did not offer a handshake in the first place , so there is no real controversy .
Now , if he'd refused to shake the duchess's hand in protest at Britain's role in the mass bombardment of Iran's neighbour Iraq , then that would be controversial .

[sp1814]

I had a look at the pictures, and it looks like instead of shaking her hand, he's performing a bow...which seems equally respectful.

Your hypothesis would be very strange indeed...imagine the Duchess of Cambridge refusing to shake an athlete's hand - even though he's not part of Iran's government.

That would be strange.

[naomi24]

She wouldn’t refuse to shake his hand, so that’s not a consideration. He does appear to be bowing to her in thanks, so I can’t see there’s any disrespect or rudeness intended.

Incidentally, extremely observant Jews also refuse to touch a woman who is not closely related to them. I’ve shared flights to Israel with Jewish men who refuse even to speak to a stewardess. Their wives or children order their food and drinks for them. There are many similarities in culture between the observant Jew and the observant Muslim. Quite ironic really.

[lcg]

a complete non-story that reflects your bigotry, aog. he was being respectful, which is more than can be said for you.

[emmie]

I wondered why after watching the ceremony he didn't shake her hand, now i know.

[Mick-Talbot]

I can't see your problem, he was very respectful to the Duchess the other medal winners and the crowd.

[NOX]

A very respectful man who did nothing wrong. I have come across this before with people from the middle east who have happily shaken my hand but not my wife's but again no insult was intended it was purely cultural.

[ChuckFickens]

surely you all realise what he should have done was shake her hand, gone for a nice cup of tea and then went out for the evening in a Austin Cambridge to partake in some morris dancing and a couple of pints of real ale!

[Kerosene]

What a load of baloney. Who gives a flying fanackapan if Kate's hand is shaken or stirred? I don't think she was in the slightest bit bothered, she had been warned beforehand, hadn't she?

[sp1814]

AOG

So do you think he was being disrespectful, or was this post meant to be tongue in cheek?

[ludwig]

// Your headline sounds like a good title for a new game show AOG //

Or an Iranian version of the hysterical bedroom farce 'No sex please we're British'.

I don't see the problem. If Iranian men they don't shake hands with women, then why should he? It wasn't a snub. He seemed to be acting respectfully.

[naomi24]

AOG, in fairness, I think it's clear that you were unaware of the cultural issues involved here - but just as a matter of interest, why did you think he refused to shake hands with her?

[Mick-Talbot]

He should read his own links then, naomi.


it's believed the athlete was merely conforming to Iranian cultural convention, forbidding men from shaking hands with unrelated women.
A spokesman for St. James's Palace has revealed the Duchess was briefed beforehand and warned not to offer her hand to Zadeh

[naomi24]

Yes, he should.

[lcg]

i think it's just another short-sighted bash at foreigners. but that's just me....he bashes on about them all of the time.

[mike11111]

"The palace added Middleton was 'honoured' to get the chance to present the medals..."

How incredibly rude and disrespectful of the Daily Mail to refer to someone thus who is, whether one likes it or not, properly styled HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

[Ric.ror]

This once happened to a colleague of mine after a meeting
We were all outraged on her behalf at the time
Looking back though it seems quite trivial

[anotheoldgit]

Perhaps my post was a little too subtle for most of you.

Obviously apart from sp1814 you did not work out that this was a tongue in the cheek post.

Let me try and explain, I was quite aware that it is their custom, and it was not intended to be a criticism of either the duchess or the Athlete, and yes Mike-Talbot I do fully read my own links.

It was merely a dig at Iran's out dated cultural practices, taking into consideration that they are advanced enough to develop nuclear weapons, one therefore has to ask what assurances have we that they will not use them, with a mind set such as theirs?

[naomi24]

//Perhaps my post was a little too subtle for most of you. //

Clearly. ;o)