Sebastian Kirsch: Blog

In case you wondered what it would take to get the US and Iran to agree with each other, which enemy they consider dire enough to unite them against the common threat, which enemy would make the US back Iran (a nation Dubya called the “world’s primary state sponsor of terrorism") – now we know.

It’s gays and lesbians.

On monday, the US backed an Iranian initiative to dismiss the application of two gay and lesbian groups for observer status with the UN. The International Lesbian and Gay Association and the Danish Landsforeningen for Bøsser og Lesbiske applied for this status in 2005, which would allow them to participate in discussions at the UN Economic and Social council. An Iranian motion to dismiss this application without even a hearing of the applicants was backed among others by the US, Sudan and Cuba.

I think the message is clear: Iran may be in the axis of evil, it may be a sponsor of terrorism, it may be the biggest nuclear threat in the world – but as long as it’s against gays and lesbians, the US are with Iran all the way.