In response to a new challenge spreading across Iran, schoolchildren everywhere are dancing – and laughing – to the song Gentleman by the US-based Iranian rapper-singer Sasy Mankan. This challenge has, however, irked the education minister of the country, Mohammad Bathaei.

According to a report published by the Centre for Human Rights in Iran, authorities of the country are currently pursuing students and teachers seen in the videos. “The enemy is trying different ways to create anxiety among the people including by spreading these disturbing videos we have been seeing in cyberspace. I’m certain there’s some kind of political plot behind the publication of these devious clips in schools,” Bathaei was quoted as saying. The government of Iran has appointed three people to trace the source of the clips.

Iran is known for placing serious curbs on the freedom of women in the country, and the overwhelming number of young girls seen dancing in these videos has not gone down well with the authorities. In a similar incident, an event organised to mark Women’s Day 2018 in Tehran saw a backlash from the authorities and calls for the the organisers to be prosecuted after a group of girls danced during the event.

Keeping up with the spirit of resilience, several other videos of students and teachers dancing in Iran schools have also surfaced on social media.