In the current geo-political and economic context, Iran has been constantly presented as the enemy of the Western civilization. However, unlike other modern controversial countries, Iran has been frowned upon mostly due to strange policies they adopted in order to conserve the nation’s religious dogma. Let’s explore some of the common things currently banned in Iran today:
1. Western music
In spite of the fact that classic hits from world renowned artists were highly appreciated by young Iranians, president Ahmadinejad decreed that Western music should be banned from the country’s radio and TV stations. Ahmadinejad, who is also the leader of Iran’s Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council stated that songs from George Michael, Eric Clapton, The Eagles and Kenny G are in fact indecent and corrupt his people. On the other hand, the president doesn’t seem to mind Justin Bieber who paused his recent concert in Turkey twice to honor the Muslim call to prayer.
2. Harry Potter
Because it conflicts with Islam’s teachings, the Harry Potter series have been banned in Iran and other Arabic countries. Simply put, Islam views magic as harmful and we all know what Harry Potter is all about. In addition, religious authorities in Iran also suggest that the series has been written under the direct influence of diabolic forces that are trying to determine believers to pass to the dark side. On a side note, before you judge Iran too harshly, it is necessary to mention that Harry Potter is among the most banned book series in the past 10 years.
3. Google’s Gmail
It is necessary to mention that Iran’s ban on Google’s Gmail and other VPNs is not of religious nature, but rather stems from the country’s conflict with Israel. President Ahmadinejad claims that he is well aware of the fact that Google’s CEOs are pro-Israeli and that they are willing to provide the authorities in Jerusalem with sensitive information if that would be required. Because Yahoo mail is also banned in some parts of the country, make sure you don’t need to check your email next time you visit Iran.
4. Homosexuality
Even though homosexuality is a sensitive and controversial topic in most parts of the world, no country takes this “threat” more serious than Iran. To be more precise, Ahmadinejad and Iranian religious leaders declare that homosexuality represents a crime against humanity and the human spirit. Consequentially, any man engaging in same-sex activity will be instantly executed, whereas women are sentenced to 100 lashes for the first three instances and afterwards death. On a side note, even though the death penalty is also applied in cases of adultery, the media suggests that Iran has considerably intensified its “war on homosexuality” over the past 6 years.
5. The Da Vinci Code
Without a doubt, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code has been the most popular book at the beginning of the millennia. However, the book didn’t only enjoy a worldwide popularity, but was also regularly contested by Christianity and Islam alike. While the Christians have a hard time believing that the connection between the Priory of Sion and Opus Day is real, Islam banned it because it depicts the history of God. Furthermore, Iran also banned the Da Vinci Code movie because it presents false information regarding Christianity.