Minister of Culture Calls Prominent Artists 'Flagbearers of the Struggle Against the Islamic Republic' in Protests

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance acknowledged the support of 'prominent' cultural and artistic figures with the protesting public and their 'role-playing' in the nationwide protests, labeling these artists as 'flagbearers of the struggle against the Islamic Republic' who have been banned from cultural and artistic activities by the ministry. Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili, in a speech on Wednesday evening, August 4, in Mashhad, which was published on Saturday, August 7, by the Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, referred to the peaceful protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the guidance patrol as 'the sedition of 1401' and claimed that with efforts to employ 'the best,' the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is 'in the hands of the children of the revolution.' These statements come amid a recent sexual scandal involving Reza Taqati, the director of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Gilan province and founder of the 'Chastity and Hijab' workshop, who has been linked to several men. Esmaeili, referencing warnings from Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, about the 'unrestrained nature of cyberspace,' stated that ignoring this has led to 'serious deviations in the cultural path of the Islamic Republic' and acknowledged that 'a profound impact' has emerged in people's lifestyles. He declared that the nationwide protests of 1401 'were in the cultural domain' and announced that 'organization in content production' has been entrusted to forces loyal to the Islamic Republic, with a 'multiplicative' budget allocated in this ministry aimed at 'serious transformation' in culture and art. The Minister claimed that due to 'insults to the sacred,' the participation of artists in public protests has led to their 'activities in cinema being banned.' Regarding the home theater network, he stated, 'I changed all the members of the display council, and 9 Hezbollah members are present in the display issuance council.' Majid Beheshti, a former actor, director, and producer of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, previously described the transfer of oversight of the home theater network to the broadcasting organization as a 'return to the 60s.' Esmaeili's remarks come at a time when a significant number of prominent artistic figures have announced they are ending their work or refusing to collaborate with the broadcasting organization. Meanwhile, a senior official from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has warned that collaborating with actors who refuse to wear mandatory hijab 'has consequences.' The Minister stated that 'a lot of insults and curses were thrown at us to make us passive,' admitting that 'we have been engaged in an all-out war for a year' and 'some publishers did not show up at the book fair.' New policy-making in the cultural and artistic domain comes as cultural activists have refrained from participating in the Fajr Festival and the annual international book fair, two significant cultural events of the Islamic Republic, through widespread boycotts.