A video widely shared throughout social media displaying an Iraqi woman in her 50s, with injuries to her face, has angered Iraqi officials after it was implied that the woman was beaten at Iran's Mashad airport after arriving within the country.
Ahmad al-Sahaf, the spokesman for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, said that his office is following the reports with "great interest" after the allegations came to light, according to the Al Arabiya news site.
The woman was allegedly beaten by police officers at the Iranian airport, claiming the police officer struck her in the eye, according to Arab News, adding that the video has provoked widespread anger among Iraqis.
Iranian state-media said on Friday that Iran's Vice-Consul in Najaf, Iraq visisted the woman to apologize for the police's behavior.
“Iraq treats all those who arrive to its land with humanity and respect,” said the Iraqi Foreign Ministry calling on, “All countries to treat Iraqis similarly.”
Many Iraqis have used social media to express their anger, demanding an apology from the Iranian government. Journalists across the country told Radio Farda once news of the alleged abuse reached Iraq, the story completely occupied all Iraqi media channels - with thousands outraged including those from the woman's hometown of Najaf.
The Iraqi foreign ministry is “following with great interest” the case of a woman who claims she was beaten by a security officer at an Iranian airport https://t.co/EKGCUlUcmk pic.twitter.com/x3nCgbWDCX
— Arab News (@arabnews) August 22, 2019
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