French City Pulls Recycling Posters After Iranian Backlash

Beziers' campaign comparing global leaders to trash prompts diplomatic tensions with Iran, leading to removal of controversial ads.

The southern French city of Beziers launched a recycling campaign featuring images of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Russia's Vladimir Putin, and North Korea's Kim Jong Un with the slogan 'Don't forget to sort the trash.'
Iran's foreign ministry condemned the campaign as 'offensive' and a violation of cultural respect, urging the French government to prevent similar actions in the future.
Beziers' far-right mayor, Robert Menard, defended the campaign as humorous and attention-grabbing but ordered the posters removed as a precaution to avoid potential safety risks.
The posters were displayed on the city's buses and shared on social media before being swiftly taken down following diplomatic protests from Tehran.
This incident occurs during already strained relations between France and Iran, with France advising against travel to Iran and calling for the release of French citizens detained there.