Mohammad Yazdi: Most Actions of the Minister of Culture Contain Immorality

The Secretary of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary has protested against the holding of a concert in Qom, stating that "most" programs of the Ministry of Culture under Hassan Rouhani's government "include immorality." According to Fars News Agency, Mohammad Yazdi on Sunday, October 3, harshly criticized the Ministry of Culture during a press conference. Yazdi stated that after watching a video of the concert in Qom, he decided to take a stand and believes that the Ministry's programs are aimed at "weakening" the government. He introduced Ali Jannati as the "reviver" of concerts in Iran and urged him to change his policies and refrain from commenting on "jurisprudential" issues. The Secretary of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary told the Minister of Culture, "You have not reached the point to say that Qom should investigate which music is permissible and which is not." The holding of a concert in Qom has sparked a new controversy in Iran, primarily targeting Hassan Rouhani's government and the Ministry of Culture. Yazdi has also identified himself as a critic of Ali Jannati, Hassan Rouhani, and the eleventh government. This conservative cleric described the concert held in Qom as "pathetic" and added that the holding of this concert has "broken the sanctity of the seminary, scholars, and sources of emulation." In response to the "apology" of the director of culture in Qom for holding such a concert, he stated that "no one has the right to accept this person's apology" and that "the director of culture should resign and leave Qom. This issue cannot be resolved with an apology." He added that "this is Qom, a center that is recognized worldwide, and breaking this sanctity is not like breaking the sanctity of other cities." In another part of his speech, Yazdi addressed Hassan Rouhani, stating, "Your clerical and Islamic honor requires that if you hear and see such things, you cannot tolerate them." Mohammad Yazdi's criticisms are part of the renewed attacks by conservatives who have once again resorted to the holding of a concert to target Hassan Rouhani, the Ministry of Culture, and Ali Jannati, and this trend is expanding. According to Iranian media reports, the Assembly of Representatives of Qom has also issued a statement supporting the positions of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary to prevent concerts from being held in this city. The Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary issued a statement on Saturday threatening the government about the potential reaction of "religious people" to the holding of concerts in Iran and warning of "irreparable material and spiritual damages." In this statement, the holding of a concert in the city of Qom was declared an "insulting and illogical" act, stating that "the obvious and shameful immorality that occurred is unacceptable and a movement far from the dignity" of this city. This political-religious organization claimed that this event "not only targets the sanctity of divine rulings but also does not respect the sanctity of the household of the Prophet." The Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary warned in its statement that "the patience and tolerance of religious people and great sources of emulation are limited." Previously, Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani, a source of emulation, had also protested against the holding of a concert in Qom, but Abbas Danesh, the director of culture in Qom, stated that no concert had been held in this city, only a few revolutionary songs were performed. Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture, also commented on this issue, stating that "what was performed in Qom was not a concert at all; it was a choral program that had no issues in content or form." Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamadani is another source of emulation who stated that the city of Qom "is not a place for holding concerts." Hassan Mamdouhi, another member of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary, also stated that "the aim of holding these concerts is to promote immorality and lacks any cultural system and is a sample of cultural degradation." Mamdouhi added, "Unfortunately, some activities in the country are planned to lead people towards irreligion and disbelief." The controversy over the holding of music concerts during Hassan Rouhani's government has led to a ban on concerts in Khorasan Razavi following the opposition of Ahmad Alamolhoda, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the province. The Ministry of Culture's retreat in accepting the ban on holding concerts in Khorasan Razavi has led six other Friday prayer leaders to demand a halt to the issuance of permits for concerts in their cities. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani criticized the Ministry of Culture's retreat on September 23, stating, "Anyone who wakes up in the morning and finds a podium cannot legislate, and the minister should not comply because the minister must obey the law." The disagreement between the clerics based in Qom and some of Hassan Rouhani's government policies is not limited to the cultural and artistic sphere, as Mohammad Yazdi has, in an unprecedented statement, called for the cancellation of the Iran-South Korea football match on "Ashura night" by the Ministry of Sports and Youth. Yazdi addressed the Minister of Sports and Youth of the eleventh government during his press conference, saying, "Mr. Minister, you are the minister of this system; this system has been realized under the shadow of Muharram and Safar, and your excuses for not being able to change this match are not convincing." This conservative cleric added, "I urge the Minister of Sports to consider this calculation more carefully and cancel the match, as its benefit will be greater in the present and future." The Iranian national football team is scheduled to play against South Korea on October 12 of this year (coinciding with Tasu'a). Iranian football federation officials had previously asked FIFA to change the timing of this match, to which FIFA responded that if Iran refuses to play this match, it will consider three of Iran's matches as 3-0 in favor of the opposing teams.