Iranian MP: Tehran Municipality is Eager to Close Cultural Centers

Iranian MP: Tehran Municipality is Eager to Close Cultural Centers - 2003-11-06. Management of the city of Tehran is in the hands of those who are eager to shut down cultural and artistic centers, abandon associations, and diminish the cultural centers managed by the municipality, searching for excuses. Behrouz Afkhami, Tehran's representative in the Iranian parliament and a film director, stated before the open session of parliament yesterday, 'They are waiting for a day when there will be no cultural center, or if there is, it will be no different from a mosque or a Hosseiniyeh.' In recent days, the conservative officials of the Tehran municipality, elected following the cold city and village council elections, have taken action to close several cultural and artistic centers in the city, such as the theater administration, the sculptors' association, the Parviz Tanavoli Museum, and the House of Artists of Iran, which has faced reactions from a group of artists and cultural officials in Iran. Afkhami further emphasized, 'They (the municipality officials) are suspicious of the word culture, they become frightened and worried upon hearing words like entertainment and leisure, and they fortify themselves against expressions like aesthetics and art.' This participatory MP also criticized the people of Tehran for boycotting the city council elections held last December, claiming, 'The people of Tehran are now witnessing the results of their political passivity and laziness in last year's city council elections.' He added, 'Thus, the management of the city of Tehran is in the hands of those who received votes from a minority of less than 10 percent, regarding the rest of the voters as passive and insignificant, and to be honest, they are right. This minority is so confident about the majority's non-participation in the next elections that they have already made their expectations clear.' Afkhami continued his remarks without any reference to the ineffectiveness of people's votes in determining the country's fate and the daily retreats of reformists against the demands of conservatives, accusing Iranian youth of adopting sad and depressed postures! Meanwhile, today, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the conservative mayor of Tehran, in an interview with reporters referring to Behrouz Afkhami's remarks yesterday, warned, 'Some individuals make statements based on their illusions that do not match existing realities. I feel sorry for these individuals and hope that those who comment based on virtual and unrealistic issues take responsibility for their words.' Additionally, the hardline newspaper Kayhan also criticized Afkhami in its afternoon issue, introducing him as 'the record holder for disorder and laziness in parliament' and added, 'Afkhami is known for his ineffective, tedious presence accompanied by dozing and yawning in parliament.'