Ali Jannati: No Concerts Have Been Allowed in Mashhad for 11 Years

Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, stated that he has not retreated in the face of opposition to holding concerts in the city of Mashhad, but rather that no concerts have been permitted in this city for the past 11 years. This Iranian government official responded on Saturday, September 4, to a reporter who described his agreement with the request of the Friday Prayer Leader of Mashhad for no music concerts to be held in the city as a 'retreat,' saying, 'It is you media who interpret this as a retreat.' Previously, Jannati had mentioned the opposition of Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday Prayer Leader of Mashhad, stating that since the shrine of the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims is located in Mashhad, he would refrain from holding music concerts in this city. This position led to a written warning from 32 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who regarded the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance's statements as a 'retreat' from cultural programs in Mashhad. However, Jannati now denies the issue of 'retreat,' saying that for about 11 years, no concerts have been allowed in Mashhad, and this has not been something that started a few days ago. He further stated, 'If we could have made a change [in this situation], we would have. Therefore, we said out of respect for the holy shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha in Mashhad, we will not hold any programs at this time, given the existing conditions.' The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance emphasized that concerts will continue as usual in other cities of Razavi Khorasan province and other parts of the country. The opposition to holding music concerts in Mashhad and other cities has drawn criticism from Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, who even advised the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance in a warning that he must abide by the law. Rouhani has stressed that the legislative authority in this matter is the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and that no one who finds a podium can legislate. In this context, the House of Music wrote a letter to Khamenei regarding concerts, stating that the main reason for the cancellation of concerts in Razavi Khorasan is Ayatollah Alamolhoda. New conditions were set by the Tehran Prosecutor for holding concerts in Tehran, and supporters of Alamolhoda took to the streets in opposition to concerts. The Minister of Culture stated that if a concert is canceled, they are constantly questioned about it. There has been severe criticism of the opponents of holding concerts, described as a 'retreat by the rigid.'