Yet another sign that Iran is regressing:
Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has banned Western music from
Iran’s radio and TV stations, reviving one of the harshest cultural decrees from the early days of 1979 Islamic Revolution.Songs such as George Michael’s “Careless Whisper,”
Eric Clapton’s “Rush” and the Eagles’ “Hotel California” have regularly accompanied Iranian broadcasts, as do tunes by saxophonist Kenny G.But the official IRAN Persian daily reported Monday that Ahmadinejad, as head of Iran’s Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, ordered the enactment of an October ruling by the council to ban Western music.
“Blocking indecent and Western music from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting is required,” according to a statement on the council’s official Web site.
Ahmadinejad’s order means the IRIB must execute the decree and prepare a report on its implementation within six months, according to the newspaper.
“This is terrible,” said Iranian guitarist Babak Riahipour, whose music was played occasionally on state radio and TV. “The decision shows a lack of knowledge and experience.”
Lack of knowledge and experience? How can you say that about a man who suggests Israel move to Alaska? The AP:
Western music, films and clothing are widely available in Iran, and hip-hop tunes can be heard on Tehran’s streets, blaring from car speakers or from music shops. Bootleg videos and DVDs of films banned by the state are widely available in the black market.
The latest media ban also includes censorship of content of films.
“Supervision of content from films, TV series and their voice-overs is emphasized in order to support spiritual cinema and to eliminate trite and violence,” the council said in a statement on its Web site explaining its October ruling.
Eliminate “trite”? Well, there go most of Hollywood’s recent films and news clips of speeches by American political leaders.