TEHRAN, Iran — Taking pictures with celebrities is gaining popularity in Iran. For fans of the selfie, it makes no difference what the person they're posing next to is actually famous for: whether artists, athletes, actors or even politicians, those with a big name are caught up in the trend. For those on a hunt for selfies, the only thing that matters is to be pictured with someone famous. The extent of this growing trend has gone to the level of not even leaving celebrities be during funeral ceremonies.
Indeed, the frenzy has become so intense that both actors and athletes have made pleas through their social media pages for people to refrain from taking selfies during funerals. The latest in a chain of awkward incidents took place at the funeral of prominent Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. The 76-year-old died of cancer in Paris on July 4 and was laid to rest in Iran on July 10. Before his funeral, the public was repeatedly asked to not take any photos with celebrities at the burial, but appeals to respect common sensibilities were for naught. All sorts of selfies with celebrities spilled out on the internet the day of Kiarostami's funeral.
