Religious Authority Avoids Meeting Minister in Protest Against Publication of Certain Books and Films

The office of Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a religious authority in Qom, announced on Wednesday, November 18, that the reason for his avoidance of a meeting with the Minister of Culture was due to "fundamental objections" he has regarding the publication of certain "books, films, and music." According to Fars News Agency, the message emphasized that Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi would only meet with the Minister of Culture if these objections were "corrected," and he would express his "gratitude and thanks" to him. The office of this religious authority stated that "if these issues are not corrected, meeting would be an endorsement of them," and consequently, he would not meet with the Minister of Culture. Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture, met with several religious authorities during his visit to Qom on Thursday, November 21. After this visit, Hossein Noosh-Abadi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, stated that the reason for the Minister not meeting with Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi was his "illness." However, Masoud Makarem Shirazi, the son of this religious authority, denied these statements, asserting that no request for a meeting had been made by the Ministry of Culture. He also added that his father has objections to the publication of certain books and the solo singing of women in the country. The statements from the son of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi were released while the Minister of Culture, during his visit to Qom and meeting with Ayatollah Wahid Khorasani, another religious authority, emphasized that "no permits" would be granted for women to sing solo, and that the publication of "vulgar and divisive novels" had been halted. Mr. Jannati also criticized the "rumor-mongering" regarding the issuance of permits for women's solo singing, stating that "some are providing incorrect information to religious authorities, scholars, Friday prayer leaders, and members of parliament." Last February, Hossein Noori Hamedani and Naser Makarem Shirazi, two religious authorities residing in Qom, protested against the Ministry of Culture's issuance of a permit for the release of an album in which, according to them, a woman sang, and announced that they would prevent women's singing in Iran. Their criticism was directed at the album "To Ra Ey Kohan Boom O Bar Doost Daram" released by Cheshmeh Publishing, which featured simultaneous singing by Mohsen Karamati and Noushin Tafi. Ultimately, some critics, including Morteza Aghatehrani, Secretary General of the Stability Front, stated that after listening to it, they realized that this album did not feature women's solo singing. In this context, all presidents since the revolution have maintained "censorship" active, the cultural and artistic section in Rouhani's government, the clergy that does not have a listening ear, Ali Jannati: no permits will be granted for women's solo singing.