Failed Attempt by 'Self-Organized Forces' to Disrupt a Concert at Vahdat Hall

On the evening of Friday, June 16, individuals referred to by Iranian news agencies as 'unknown identity' attempted to disrupt a concert by the Lian group at Vahdat Hall. According to Mohsen Sharifian, the group's leader, the action was controlled quickly by the 'timely and swift response of the Rudaki Foundation's security,' and the perpetrators were 'arrested.' Mohsen Sharifian, a musician and leader of the Lian music group, shared a video of the attack by 'self-organized forces,' stating that he has been repeatedly tried and banned from performing by the government. He wrote: 'As much as I have always protested against injustices and have been tried and banned from work, tonight, just like the incident at the 2014 Bushehr concert, it was proven to me that there are people who stand against lawlessness despite all pressures, and I salute them.' Sharifian also mentioned the limitations and incidents he faces before or during concerts, stating: 'In my thirty years of activity, such events have occurred many times, from serious threats to attacks and fights, and at best, sound and electricity cuts, and God knows what state and nerves I go on stage with! And with what anxiety I finish my concert.' Mehdi Salem, CEO of the Rudaki Foundation, commented on the incident, saying: 'Before last night's concert, a well-known individual in disrupting artistic programs created a commotion for a few minutes outside the hall and on Shahrivar Street (Rudaki area), which was brought under control by the presence of police forces.' According to this official, the arrested individual has a 'long history of creating chaos and blackening the image of artistic venues.' Holding concerts and artistic events has long been accompanied by challenges and obstacles for artists and art lovers from government-affiliated institutions and 'radical religious elements.' This includes the removal of female musicians during concerts to the complete prohibition of concerts in religious cities such as Mashhad. In recent months, officials and institutions of the Islamic Republic have closed hundreds of businesses, restaurants, recreational centers, sports clubs, tourist complexes, pharmacies, and even doctors' offices to enforce strict mandatory hijab laws. Despite all these measures, the demand of women for the abolition of the mandatory hijab law remains strong, and every day we witness images and reports of civil resistance from Iranian women. The significant presence of women without mandatory hijab at the Ministry of Interior Hall during the concert of Salar Aghili on Friday, June 9, just weeks after the publication of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill, provoked many reactions. Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili, the Minister of Culture, on Saturday, without referring to what happened at the Ministry of Interior Hall, said: 'A political current in the country is trying to exaggerate some problems that sometimes occur naturally in performances to set different segments of the people against each other.' Esmaeili stated that he would not allow 'norm-breaking' in the cultural and artistic spaces of the country. The Minister of Culture of the Raisi government, amid widespread protests and artists' support for the people and 'boycotting' the Fajr Festival, had stated that the 'government's arms' are open to them and promised to hold concerts for singers, urging them to participate in the Fajr festivals. This action faced numerous reactions. Mani Haghighi, a writer and actor, at that time addressed Esmaeili, saying: 'We are mourning the loss of our loved ones; our friends are in your prisons; we do not have time to dance for you.' Hana Kamkar, an Iranian singer and musician, recently wrote on her Instagram page regarding the exclusion of women from the field of art and music: 'Until the ban on women's voices in the country is lifted, I will never attend any concert of a male-centered singer, and I have been boycotting the 'ridiculous concerts for women' for years.' Recently, coinciding with the significant presence of women without mandatory hijab at the Ministry of Interior Hall for the concert of Salar Aghili, the reformist party 'Unity of the Nation' called for the 'abolition of the mandatory hijab law.' The presence of women without headscarves at the Ministry of Interior Hall; 'Abolish the mandatory hijab law' Returning to initial settings; again canceling concerts and creating restrictions for artists The Islamic Republic's efforts to normalize and impose forgetfulness through the tool of art.