Iranian general declares Spider-Man a menace

Taking a cue from J. Jonah Jameson, the commander of Iran’s 400,000-member volunteer militia has blasted Spider-Man as a “false” cartoon character that may be part of a “soft war” against the Islamic republic.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naghdi made the remarks last week when he announced the creation of a body called the Organization of Basij and the Media designed to increase the activities of the militia within the media.

Naghdi argued that characters that promote the authority of the government should be used in television programming rather than Spider-Man and other figures, which he seemed to suggest are part of a deliberate attempt to transform the cultural values of Iran.

“Today, we are engaged in a unique and historical war with the enemy in the frame of a soft war,” he said, expressing concern that more wasn’t being done to confront the threat.