(Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Iran has been accused of forcing hordes of gay people to have gender reassignment surgery in an attempt to rid the country of homosexuality.

While the Islamic Republic legalised being transgender in 1987, homosexuality is still illegal in Iran and LGB people are often subjected to horrific public executions if their sexuality becomes known.

According to British news outlet The Sun, LGBT activists have now stated that some of the ‘trans surgeries’ that occur are part of a sinister programme designed to eradicate queer people.

‘They are trying to cleanse the country of homosexuals’, says activist.

Shadi Amin, an Iranian-born activist, told The Sun that this homophobic Iranian regime is controlled by religious extremists who view being gay as an “illness”. They believe that the only way it can be cured is by changing gender.

“The government believes that if you are a gay man, your soul is that of a woman and you should change your body,” Amin said.

“We think this is a way [for them] to fight the existence of homosexual people because you change their body and you solve the problem.

“The regime gives gay people two choices – to be arrested as a homosexual and risk punishment or even execution, or change your body.”

Government data shows that around 4000 gender reassignment surgeries are performed in Iran each year.

Amin, however, claims that those numbers are actually much higher in reality.

“They are trying to cleanse the country of homosexuals,” she added.

“They would rather carry out mass surgeries than executions because they know the world is watching them.”

The plight of queer people in Iran does not get much easier after surgery.

“After forcibly getting individuals operated on, the government turns a blind eye to them,” said Agrima Tikader, writing for the International Business Times.

“Amin pointed out that most transgender people lost support from their families [after having surgery].

“Without the prospect of employment, transgender people turn to prostitution.

“The state offers very little protection to transgender people, and they are often subject to discrimination and physical violence,” Tikader added.