Iranians Flout Nonexistent Law to Show Netanyahu Their Precious Jeans

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attracted the online ire of Iranians on Thursday after he made the false assumption that wearing jeans is not permitted in Iran. In an interview with BBC Persian television on Sunday, he said that "I think if the Iranian people had freedom, they would wear jeans, listen to Western music, and have free elections."

Those comments touched off a series of angry, occasionally jokingly outraged tweets as Iranians posted pictures of their denim wares online for all to see. The country loosened restrictions on social media last month, and Iranian president Hassan Rouhani even spoke with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey last week.

Netanyahu's remarks came in the context of the Israeli Prime Minister's broader stance that Iran's more open demeanor is a ruse, or in his words, "a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Hey @netanyahu , look at our pants. #jeans #جین pic.twitter.com/2yDa1HJblF

— Arash (@ArashManteghi) October 6, 2013

.@netanyahu Here are my #Jeans and #Western music you idiot. pic.twitter.com/pxv2hqv8WV

— Sallar (@sallar) October 6, 2013

@netanyahu I'm wearing #jeans like many other young & old people in #iran pic.twitter.com/OXUsJounwF

— Mohammad HZG (@mohhzg) October 6, 2013

@netanyahu Iranians wear jeans in iran, if you didnt know by any chance #jeans #Iran pic.twitter.com/mjP70aOnmI

— Ilgar (@rshappy89) October 7, 2013

Hi @netanyahu, here is a photo of me at the Sa'dabad Palace in #Iran wearing my favorite blue #jeans. pic.twitter.com/mMSobAJlV6

— Kayvon Afshari (@KayvonAfshari) October 6, 2013

#jeans @netanyahu pic.twitter.com/WDLM3l8DuC

— Mohsen MZadegan (@mmzyma) October 6, 2013

Me & My #jeans ! In your face @Netanyahu . #Iran #Netanyahu #IranJeans #Apartheid #Israel pic.twitter.com/W9pQEv4nLe

— Bazinga (@PersianFarzad) October 6, 2013