The broad reach and fast circulation of images and ideas in cyberspace accelerate and enable mobilizations of identity and politics in a larger scale; as such, during the  war of terror following the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, images of queer Iranians became more visible, but also were limited in their exposure of the queer experience.

In the case of Ayaz Marhouni and Mohamad Asgari, their arrest for the rape of a young boy was turned into a story of martyrdom of two gay individuals, despite a lack of evidence about their sexuality.

The visible gayness becomes a symbol for the oppression and backwardness of Iran. However, as discussed with Professor Sakhsari today, this oppression then becomes the excuse for sanctions and violent attacks without consideration of the effect that has on the very populations we try to “protect”.