Philippines grants asylum to Iranian beauty queen

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has granted refugee status to an Iranian beauty queen who sought asylum in the Philippines and has reportedly claimed being targeted by Tehran for criticizing its leadership.

The DOJ has granted asylum to Bahareh Zare Bahari, whom the Bureau of Immigration (BI) barred from entering Manila last month due to a red notice issued against her by the INTERPOL.

The BI has recalled its exclusion order against the woman, a dentistry student, after "finding no prejudice to state interest and for purely humanitarian grounds."

She left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where she was detained for weeks, on Thursday.

Bahari allegedly faces charges for assaulting a fellow Iranian in the Philippines. She told foreign media that the allegations were fabricated to send her back to Iran, where she reportedly claimed she will get a lengthy prison term if not executed.

In the Miss Intercontinental pageant in Manila last year, Bahari used as a prop a photo of Reza Pahlavi, Iran's former crown prince and a current opposition leader.

She is also reported to have spoken about Iranian women's rights.

She told The Guardian that the Iranian regime is "against political activists and is anti-women."

"They are trying to silence me, to scare other women in Iran to become quiet. The women of Iran are tired of this regime that doesn’t give basic freedom," she told the publication. — MDM, GMA News