Iran press chief chides “vulgar” cinemas

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Apr. 07 – Iran’s hard-line culture minister has blasted cinemas in the country for being too “vulgar” and said that he planned to carry out a major shake-up of the institution so that it conformed to Islam’s “moral foundations”. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Apr. 07 – Iran’s hard-line culture minister has blasted cinemas in the country for being too “vulgar” and said that he planned to carry out a major shake-up of the institution so that it conformed to Islam’s “moral foundations”.

“Unfortunately, Iran’s cinemas have become vulgarised over the past few years due to inattention by certain officials”, Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi told reporters on Thursday.

“Reviving moral values and foundations in Iran’s cinemas is one of the programs on the agenda of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. To this end, artists must review their work and take steps in the direction of streamlining cinema”.

Saffar-Harandi, 53, is a close advisor to hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He is a former deputy editor in chief of ultra-conservative daily Kayhan.

Saffar-Harandi, who held the rank of Brigadier General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was once in charge of the IRGC’s Southern Command. He was also the Political Bureau director of the IRGC for many years.

In October, he issued a directive ordering all female civil servants serving in his ministry and female journalists at the state newspapers and news agencies to go home by 6 p.m. to do their house chores.

In November, the IRGC general-turned-media censor announced that he was purging his ministry of officials he viewed as having failed to protect Islamic values.

“Books published in Iran should not attack our religious values”, Saffar-Harandi said.