Carla Bruni mentioned as 'prostitute' in Iran

An editorial pointed to her chequered love life, which has included numerous affairs with high-profile celebrities. Titled "French prostitutes join the human rights protest" it also singled out the actress Isabelle Adjani, who has joined the clamour for 43-year-old Sakineh's release.

And, it referred to rumours linking Bruni to Benjamin Biolay, a French singer whom she was said to be seeing behind her husband's back.

It read: "Recently, Carla Bruni, the infamous wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, and Isabelle Adjani, the morally corrupt French actress, expressed support for Sakineh Mohammadi- Ashtiani. Bruni managed to break up Sarkozy's marriage and become France's First Lady, yet recently there's been news about her having an affair with a singer."

Iranian state television also attacked Bruni for her support for Sakineh, saying she was using it to try to justify her own immorality, the report said.

Though the Elysee Palace has not yet reacted to the vicious slurs in the Iranian media, but an insider told the British newspaper that the First Lady was "deeply shocked" by the personal attack.