Tehran, Iran, June 15
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Iranian Minister of Culture Ali Jannati said the reason why some ultra-governmental organizations prevent concerts from going on stage is the "unsuitable outfits of the audience".
By that, Jannati was referring to women's dress code that is called hijab in Islam.
Sometimes the problem is not the concert per se or the performance, but rather the audience that bring about the cancellation of the music concerts, he said, IRNA news agency reported June 15.
He further added that sometimes the directors of the concerts act in ways other than their obligations that they have pledged in their contracts, which also counts for the reasons the concerts are cancelled.
The excitement of the audience is also a reason, according to the minister of culture.
Jannati also confirmed that the ministry checks the lyrics and pieces of music before they are performed. The ministry is aware of the sensitivities directed at music, he said.
Recently the Police and Bureau for Places - an organization that oversees activities at public places across Iran - prevented some performances from going on stage in Tehran and other cities.
Following the events, Pirouz Arjmand, director of the Music Office, and Hossein Noushabadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Culture criticized the interventions.
Edited by CN
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