Iran bans concert tours

2010-02-20 19:02

Tehran - Iran has banned travel agencies from organising tours to countries where concerts are held during Shi'ite mourning holidays, newspapers quoted a tourism official as saying on Saturday.

The move came after Iran's tourism organisation banned package holidays to neighbouring Dubai where concerts by expat Iranian singers were to be held this month during a long holiday including the death anniversary of Prophet Mohammed.

"It is forbidden to organise tours to countries where concerts are held on mourning days and (those marking) the passing of imams when Islamic moral codes are disrespected in these concerts," deputy tourism chief Reza Mousavi said.

Mousavi said his organisation would penalise travel agencies which had organised tours to Dubai during the February 13 - 15 holidays, Tehran Emrouz newspaper reported.

He said a ban was also ordered on tours to Iran's northern neighbour Armenia in this period but later lifted after officials learned that "concerts had been cancelled".

Popular destination

A travel agent confirmed to AFP receiving a directive ordering the ban only a few days before the holiday and had cancelled several tours. However, Mousavi said individual trips to countries in question would not be a problem.

Shi'ite-majority Iran observes about a dozen solemn days each year marking the death of its revered imams, Prophet Mohammed and his daughter Fatemeh.

Every year scores of US-based Iranian pop singers - who are banned from performing in Iran - travel to Dubai, which lies across the Gulf in southern Iran, for concerts drawing thousands of fans from the Islamic republic.

Malaysia has also become a popular destination for such performers in recent years as it has a large Iranian student community.

Upbeat pop music is frowned upon by officials in Iran, which has been under conservative clerical rule for over 30 years. Dancing in public and solo female vocalists are also banned.

The majority of male and female pop singers fled Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution but continued to make music and perform mainly in Los Angeles.

Some Iran-based underground pop singers have also performed to fans in Dubai in recent years.

- SAPA