Paris:
It's a battle between France's first lady Carla Bruni and Iran's hardline regime over her condemning Iran's decision to stone a woman named Sakineh Mohammedi Oshtiani to death for adultery has caught the world's attention.
"Depraved", "promiscuous", "a prostitute who deserves to die" - the Iranian media hit out at Carla Bruni Sarkozy after she joined the international campaign to save Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who has been in prison for five years and received 99 lashes. Ashtiani has been sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery.
In an open letter to Ashtiani, Carla Bruni said: "Spill your blood, deprive your children of their mother, why? Because you have lived? Because you have loved? Because you are a woman? Your judges should know, Sakineh, that your name has become a symbol for the entire planet...I assure you that my husband will plead your cause...and France will not abandon you."
France is the most preferred destination for Iranian political refugees and young Iranians who want to quit their country and Carla Bruni is a popular figure in Iran. Her support for Ashitiani has caught the Iranian public's eye which some say, has angered the conservatives and driven them to launch these insulting remarks.
Keyhan, a hardline newspaper in Iran was the first to attack Bruni.
"This is a very very important, influential, conservative newspaper and the director of this newspaper is very close to the leader of the Iranian revolution Khameini. This is not just a kind of gossip and it shows also what they think in general about women and it shows they want to control women whereever they are including in France," said Azadeh Kian, Thiebaut, Sociologist.
France reacted saying such insults against its first lady were not acceptable under the glare of the international media; Iran distanced itself from these slurs.
"Insulting dignitaries of other countries and using improper words is not sanctioned by the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Ramin Mehmanparast, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman.
Despite its tough rhetoric, the Iranian regime is clearly not immune to international pressure, Ashtiani's stoning has been suspended for the time being but it's unclear as to what the final decision of the authorities will be. Activists say at least, 25 prisoners in Iran are on death row awaiting execution by stoning, human rights groups are hoping this campaign will also draw the world's attention to political executions in Iran.
The international campaign against execution by stoning is growing after protests in the UK and France, Italy has also joined in.
"We believe Rome has to raise its voice and make sure it is heard along with the many voices from all over the world asking for this girl to be saved. It's unacceptable that a young woman, for a questionable and minor offence, is stoned with a savage and brutal technique," said Gianni Alemanno, Mayor of Rome.
Iranian laws state women are to be buried up to their breasts for the execution and that the stones used should "not be large enough to kill the person in one or two strikes" making it the slow form of execution. In 2002 stoning was discontinued in Iran but the laws were never officially removed from the penal code.