According to the judiciary’s official news agency, Mizan, the case was opened after Mousavi’s comments were widely circulated online, prompting public backlash.
Authorities cited “offensive content violating public decency” against one of Iran’s most respected cultural figures.
Mousavi, known for her sharp comedic monologues, had previously faced legal action in October 2024 on charges of “disturbing public order.”
The incident has sparked heated debate online and among cultural figures.
Prominent Persian literature scholar Mohammad-Reza Shafiei-Kadkani reposted a note by the late Shahnameh expert Abolfazl Khatibi, calling the epic poem the “collective consciousness of Iranians.”
A page attributed to filmmaker Bahram Beyzai also shared excerpts from his script The New Prologue of the Shahnameh, describing Ferdowsi as a symbol of cultural resistance.
Iran’s Culture Minister Seyyed Abbas Salehi Amiri condemned the comedian, saying, “Some people seek attention through inappropriate behavior.”
The media have also joined the criticism. Khorasan daily described her remarks as an “attack on the national identity of Iranians,” adding: “Mocking the Shahnameh is foolishness and irrationality in the face of Ferdowsi’s intellectual legacy.”
Following the uproar, Mousavi’s Instagram account was blocked.
