Gay yazd, iran

Gay Iran simply does not exist! For gay travelers wishing to visit, we strongly recommend you follow these simple rules to make your trip SAFE and fun. Iran's human rights record is dire. There's no sugar-coating that.

Iran is one of a handful of countries where homosexual acts are punishable by death. Clerics do, however accept the idea that a person may be trapped in a body of the wrong sex. So homosexuals can be pushed into having gender reassignment surgery - and to avoid it many flee the country. Growing up in Iran, Donya kept her hair shaved or short, and wore caps instead of headscarves.

Two LGBT activists have been sentenced to death in Iran, rights groups say. A court in Urmia found Zahra Seddiqi Hamedani, 31, and Elham Choubdar, 24, guilty of "corruption on Earth". The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that they were accused of promoting homosexuality, promoting Christianity and communicating with media opposed to the Islamic Republic. Iran's judiciary later confirmed the sentences, but said they were connected to human trafficking and not activism.

The US on Wednesday accused Iran of violating fundamental human rights after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif endorsed the execution of gay people. Zarif defended his country's draconian policies at a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Tehran on Monday. A reporter from German tabloid Bild asked: "Why are homosexuals executed in Iran because of their sexual orientation? He responded: "Our society has moral principles.