Iranian Official’s Visit to Tunisia Sparks Outrage Over Women’s Rights Debate

Watan-The presence of Enseih Khazali, the former Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs under the late President Ebrahim Raisi, in Tunisia to deliver a lecture at a women’s seminar has sparked widespread outrage among Tunisians on social media.

Khazali participated on Sunday in a seminar titled “The Status of Women in Modern Society: The Iranian and Tunisian Experiences”, as part of the Iranian Cultural Week, which concludes on Wednesday.

Her presence faced strong criticism from a broad segment of Tunisians, including politicians and human rights activists, who viewed her participation as an affront to Tunisian women’s rights and achievements.

Tunis-Iran Rapprochement Sparks Debate

Khazali’s visit comes amid Tunisia’s growing diplomatic rapprochement with Iran under President Kais Saied over the past two years.

Tunisia recently lifted visa requirements for Iranian nationals, a decision preceded by Saied’s historic visit to Tehran—the first by a Tunisian president since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The trip was to attend the funeral of Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a plane crash last May.

Public Outrage and Criticism

The Palace of Zahra, the venue for the Iranian Cultural Week in Tunis, posted images of the event on Facebook, triggering a wave of criticism.

Activist Mohamed Ali Bousnina denounced the event, stating that “Tunisia’s reality regarding women’s rights is fundamentally different from that of Sunni Saudi Arabia or Shiite Iran.”

Author and researcher Amina Rmaili accused the Iranian official of being anti-women’s rights, questioning why a theocratic state—one of the most repressive towards women—was leading a discussion on women’s status.

Several politicians, human rights activists, and civil society members signed a petition rejecting political propaganda under the guise of cultural cooperation.

Parliamentary Opposition and Identity Threats

Tunisian MP Fatma Mseddi strongly opposed providing a platform for Iranian views on women’s rights, stressing the vast differences between the two nations in this regard.

“Tunisia, which enacted the Personal Status Code and strengthened women’s rights, should not welcome those who oppose these values and attempt to influence Tunisian society,” she told Al-Hurra.

Mseddi also proposed sending a delegation of Tunisian women to Iran to lecture on Tunisia’s progressive stance on women’s rights.

Warning Against Iranian Influence

Former presidential advisor Mohsen Marzouk addressed an open letter to President Saied, urging him to distance Tunisia from Iran’s geopolitical conflicts.

He warned that aligning too closely with Tehran could harm Tunisia’s diplomatic positioning, stating:
“Even stronger and wealthier neighboring states maneuver carefully amid global shifts. Tunisia must act wisely to safeguard its national identity.”