▁by ▁the ▁death ▁penalty . ▁According ▁to ▁O mar ▁K ud d us , ▁a ▁UK - based ▁gay ▁rights ▁activ ist , ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁government ▁also ▁uses ▁tr ump ed - up ▁charges ▁to ▁execute ▁and ▁per sec ute ▁gay ▁people ▁while ▁dis gu ising ▁their ▁actions ▁from ▁the ▁international ▁community . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁at ▁a ▁forum ▁Monday ▁at ▁Columbia ▁University , ▁former ▁Iran ian ▁President ▁Mah m oud ▁A hm ad ine j ad ▁said ▁" In ▁Iran , ▁we ▁don ' t ▁have ▁hom osex uals ▁like ▁in ▁your ▁country . ▁In ▁Iran , ▁we ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁this ▁phenomen on ". ▁Nevertheless , ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁L GB T ▁activ ists , ▁calling ▁themselves ▁" R ain bow [ ies ]" ▁( ), ▁has ▁been ▁celebr ating ▁a ▁P ride ▁Day ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁day ▁was ▁first ▁announced ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Iran ian ▁L GB T ▁activ ists ▁on ▁a ▁blog ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Every ▁year , ▁Iran ian ▁L GB T ▁activ ists ▁gathered ▁around ▁the ▁capital , ▁Te h ran , ▁and ▁secret ly ▁took ▁pictures ▁of ▁themselves ▁holding ▁rain bow ▁flags ▁and ▁written ▁s log ans . ▁They ▁had ▁to ▁hide ▁their ▁faces ▁to ▁avoid ▁police ▁har ass ment ▁and ▁possible ▁pro sec ution . ▁Activ ists ▁have ▁taken ▁photos ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁in ▁other ▁cities , ▁including ▁K erman