As the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani met Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Rome's Capitoline Museums on Tuesday, some of Italy's famous nude statues were hidden under large white boxes.
The Iranian head of state is in Italy as part of a European tour aimed at seeking investment for his country.
According to local media reports, the decision was taken considering Iran’s socially conservative culture as alcohol was also not served at the events the foreign president attended.
This move by the current government attracted criticism from the political opposition with a former minister saying that the government’s move to cover the nude statues "exceeded all limits of decency and the only thing to cover is the face of Renzi, not our classic statues” while another politician termed it as an “act of submission”.
The common man also expressed anger over the government’s move by putting up pictures of nude statues on social media. #statuenude trended on Twitter for a while on Tuesday.
Ciao #Rouhani. #statuenude pic.twitter.com/DHwfDVeiNd
— Mangino Brioches (@manginobrioches) January 26, 2016 L'arte lasciatela in pace #statuenude pic.twitter.com/iGsi78fT0C
— Barbara Antonelli (@BarbaraAnton73) January 26, 2016 From Rome, with love. #Rouhani #Statuenude @matteorenzi pic.twitter.com/EBLnj2fd5Z
— Nicolette (@OeiNicolette) January 26, 2016 it's absolutely ridiculous that the beautiful works of art were covered! It's the guest who respects the hosts' rules! #statuenude
— LeenRF (@LeenFaiisal) January 27, 2016 "When in #Rome, do as the #Persian do." No? #statuenude pic.twitter.com/EHPN8re0YE
— Wílmerdön (@wilmerdon) January 26, 2016 Hate to break it to you, #IranianPresident. We're all born completely naked. #statuenude #Italy
— ⏪ ▶️ ⏩ (@JYPSYEYE) January 26, 2016 Ebe, Antonio Canova, 1816 ( Musei San Domenico - Forlì) #statuenude pic.twitter.com/ogvHkul8OP
— Jo Fresu de Azevedo (@joaninhasid) January 26, 2016 Gian Lorenzo Bernini - Il Ratto di Proserpina -1621/22. Galleria Borghese, Roma. (Particolare) #statuenude pic.twitter.com/WyaMySqB6s
— LaMentina (@ch_distef) January 26, 2016