Parastoo Ahmadi's Concert; Deir Gachin Caravanserai in Qom Closed and Two Local Managers Dismissed

The Islamic Republic's television reported that the Deir Gachin caravanserai, where the concert of female singer Parastoo Ahmadi was held, has been closed, and the director of cultural heritage and tourism of the province has been dismissed in connection with the concert's performance. The Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Abbas Salehi Amiri, stated that the caravanserai was closed due to "violations of operational regulations" regarding the performance of the "caravanserai concert" by Parastoo Ahmadi. Salehi Amiri also mentioned that the manager of this venue has been referred to the Qom province court, and the director of cultural heritage and tourism and the director of the historical buildings revival fund of Qom province have been dismissed due to what has been termed "negligence." On December 12, 2023, Parastoo Ahmadi, along with a group of male musicians including Ehsan Birgadar, Soheil Faqih Nasiri, Amin Taheri, and Amir Ali Pirnia, published a video without mandatory hijab from the "caravanserai concert" or "hypothetical concert" on her YouTube channel. Ahmadi's performance was quickly welcomed by users on social media, with many praising her "steadfastness and courage." Parastoo Ahmadi became known during the nationwide protests in 2022 in Iran by releasing the piece "From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland," and a legal case was formed against her for this reason. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic immediately announced charges against her and other participants of the performance after the broadcast of her performance without mandatory hijab. Subsequently, Ahmadi, along with Ehsan Birgadar, the pianist, and Soheil Faqih Nasiri, the electric guitarist, were arrested on December 15, but it was later announced that all three were released. The House of Music of Iran, in response to the arrest of the "caravanserai concert" participants and pressures on other artists, called for an end to restrictions on December 16. Since the beginning of the 1979 Revolution, the Islamic Republic has prevented women from producing music with "solo singing" and only allows their presence in "choir" groups. Nevertheless, in recent years, images of women performing in the streets have been published, and the judiciary has also taken legal action against some of them. Other reports have also emerged regarding the cancellation of concerts, cultural events, and conferences due to the presence of women as singers, backing vocalists, and musicians.