Syrian women allowed at World Cup match, Iranian women banned
A lot of Iranians — especially Iranian women — were outraged at the double standards demonstrated by the organisers of the 2018 World Cup qualifying match
All posts tagged: Iran
How to sidestep Iran’s film censors (2/2)
Censors at Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance often order directors to make changes to their films – or ban the films outright.
An Iranian film director on the country’s censorship laws (1/2)
The Iranian film industry is one of the most respected in the world and wins dozens of international prizes each year. However, before they are released, films produced in Iran must go in front of the state censorship board. I spoke with Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani to find out the real deal about making movies in a theocracy. I’m going to publish a two-part interview about censorship and Iranian cinema. Stay tuned for part two. How does censorship work in Iran? In the past decade, at least 25 films have been banned in Iran, for a variety of reasons. The film “Asabani Nistam” (“I’m not angry”, in English) by director Reza Dormishian was banned in 2014 because the story centres on the Green movement, an opposition movement that came to prominence in 2009. The films “Mehmoonie Kami” (“Kami’s Party”) by director Ali Ahmadzadeh and “Delighted” by Abdolreza Kahani, which are both about social tension in Iran, were also banned. “To get authorisation to film in Iran, you need to go through several steps” However, it’s …
Why riding a whale shark isn’t a great idea …
An Iranian fisherman created a scandal when he shared footage of himself riding on the back of a whale shark in the open waters of the Persian Gulf in early July.
“Iraq’s Rambo” out of favour with his own militia after brutally violent videos
His name is Abou Azrael, but he’s better known as “Iraq’s Rambo” — the muscle-bound symbol of the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq.
Inside Iran’s “morality police” – women use their smartphones to fight back
With black chadors over their uniforms, officers of Iran’s “guidance patrols” are a scourge for Iranian women who want to wear bright colours and push the limits of the Islamic Republic’s dress code. But some Iranian women are fighting back, using their smartphones to document what happens once they are arrested. The Gasht-e-Ershad (guidance patrol) is Iran’s morality police. Part of the regular police force, its male and female officers are charged with enforcing Islamic codes in Iranian society, and have the power to arrest people they think are violating them. While the total number of its officers is unknown, a spokesman said the force made 207,000 arrests between March 2013 and March 2014, and notified a total of 2 million women that their hijab (Islamic dress) was not correct. Under Iran’s Islamic law, women are supposed to cover everything except their face and hands. Conservative women wear the chador – a black garment that covers the head and goes down to the ankles. But other women choose to wear a scarf that covers their …
Has Iran’s bad boy singer been forced to campaign for the religious authorities?
For the past few months, the fans of Iranian singer Amir Tataloo have been scratching their heads. What has got into their idol?
New app breaks silence on sexual health in Iran
In Iran, talking about sex is still a taboo and there is little to no sexual education in schools. To help bridge the gap, an Iranian activist
Blind man’s death on Iran bridge a wake-up call for authorities
The death of a blind man in Iran has reignited a debate over whether the Islamic Republic is doing enough for the estimated 120,000 sightless Iranians.
State Department Tweets, Then Deletes Congratulations to Iranian Director Asghar Farhadi After Oscars Win
Hours after Asghar Farhadi criticized Donald Trump’s attempted Muslim travel ban as “inhumane” in his acceptance speech for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards
Ershad Alijani 