From an intellectual standpoint, the article is likely right these numbers seem at face value, way off base.
The concept of ‘sexuality’ is really an Americanism, not regarded as being real is most of the world, and correctly so. Men who exclusively have sex with men as we see in the United States most often recognized as ‘gay’ would make up a similar 1-2% of people around the world.
What the Middle East does have in spades is Roman and Greek style pederasty, where men will have sex with teenage boys on a scale unprecedented in the Western World outside of perhaps Hollywood, Massachusetts and the BBC. There are vast underground rings of kidnapped and impoverished male teens who are put up for auction for sex with largely power elites.
Iran of course, doesn’t hang these men, because many are in the government and the judiciary. Its sad but true. It is also very prevalent in Pakistan. Interestingly though, I have heard it is dramatically less common in Jordan and Syria.
“the Middle East does have in spades is Roman and Greek style pederasty,” — yes that’s very true. Alexander was said to be bisexual, himself.