Alireza Ghorbani Cancels Concert Due to Ban on Female Musicians

Iranian media reported that Alireza Ghorbani canceled his concert in Isfahan due to the "prohibition of female musicians" in his group. The concert was scheduled to run for seven nights and in 14 sessions. Alireza Ghorbani explained on his Instagram page that, "Unfortunately, despite the extraordinary efforts and follow-ups of the executive team to hold the concert in Isfahan, the concert permit was not issued." This renowned Iranian singer emphasized that "the hardships, problems, and complexities ahead cannot be explained in this article." This obstruction comes as media reported that last week, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, claimed that all conditions were met for holding concerts in various provinces. He asserted that there were no issues in any province of the country for concert organization. Reports circulating on social media indicate that producers in Khuzestan and Fars provinces also refuted the Minister's claims, emphasizing widespread prohibitions on concert organization in these provinces. In September of this year, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated in an interview that for holding music concerts, "Mashhad and Qom are our exceptions," arguing that "Has anyone ever held a concert in the Vatican? It exists in Europe too. There are no prohibitions. Anyone who wants goes to Milan, Rome, or other cities and holds concerts. There is indeed a rationale. Mashhad is an exception in our country." However, the newspaper Shargh wrote a day after that interview on September 19, "Do not make Iran a feudal state! What is the status of the citizens' rights in Mashhad and Qom regarding this?" In February 2023, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance had also requested musicians to hold their concerts as usual under the pretext of government celebrations for the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, but returned to its previous approach of canceling music programs, especially in cities, just before Nowruz 1402. The Minister of Guidance of the Islamic Republic stated in December 2022, amid public protests and the government's violent crackdown, that security institutions "constantly monitor" to ensure that artistic activities are held "normally." Last year, following the outbreak of nationwide protests in various Iranian cities and the bloody suppression of protesters, many cultural and artistic activities were suspended. However, Islamic Republic officials attempted to normalize the atmosphere by reviving some concerts, relaxing some previous restrictions, and offering incentives to organizers. During the protests last year and this year, several singers and musicians joined the protests and faced arrest and imprisonment. Tomaj Salehi has been in prison since last year, and Mehdi Yarahee has also been detained by the security institutions of the Islamic Republic for several months.