Michelle Obama's Oscars Wardrobe Malfunction: First Lady's Chest Censored by Iranian Clothes Police

Islamic censors in Iran imposed a wardrobe change on President Barack Obama's wife after the country's strict morality laws were violated by the first lady of the United States.

Censors stepped in to doctor images of Michelle Obama at the Oscars after she appeared on screen with too much flesh showing for fundamentalist Islamic tastes.

It made no difference that Mrs Obama appeared in her own home, the White House, to deliver the award for best film to Argo.

Broadcasting her awarding the trophy, Iran's state-controlled news agency Fars used Photoshop-style techniques to add sleeves and a high neck to her strappy silver outfit.

The result may have been in accordance with the strict rules on female modesty, but the first lady got no say in matters.

Iranian women are banned from showing hair, or the flesh of their arms and legs on television. In order to comply fully with the country's sartorial edicts, Michelle Obama would have to don a hijab.

Argo won Best Film at the Academy Awards for its portrayal of how a movie studio helped solve the Iran hostage crisis of 1979. Directed by Ben Affleck, it drew accusations of being anti-Iranian.

The culture minister of the country ruled over by fundamentalist Ayatollah Khamenei vowed to respond to Hollywood's version of events. Mohammed Hosseini accused Affleck and film bosses of "distorting history" for propaganda purposes.

Hollywood's night of glamour drew a huge worldwide audience as stars flocked to be seen on the red carpet.

Iran had vowed to boycott this year's Academy Awards in protest at the film, the Innocence of Muslims. It triggered an outcry in the Middle East for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammed by depicting him as a paedophile.

In a previous outburst, culture minister Hosseini ranted: "I am officially announcing that in reaction to the intolerable insult to the Great Prophet of Islam we will refrain from taking part in this year's Oscars and we ask other Islamic nations to show their protest like this."