Response of Pop Music Readers to the Minister of Culture's Statements: Don't Deceive the People

The statements of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance regarding the prohibition of certain pop singers' activities in Iran being 'media fabrication' and 'such rumors are not true' provoked reactions from several artists. Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili said on Wednesday, on the sidelines of a government meeting, that if there were any issues for artists, this would be officially announced and that such media fabrications should not be paid attention to. According to the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 'If someone announces and creates a lot of news, it is nothing but rumor-mongering, and I fundamentally reject this type of news creation.' He asked art lovers to follow such matters through official announcements from the Ministry of Culture and the relevant institutions in this area. Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili's remarks faced criticism from some Iranian singers, including Reza Sadeghi, who wrote on his social media account, addressing the 'honorable Minister of Culture': 'I saw an interview with you where you implicitly and verbally supported artists and singers for the umpteenth time and again said that the prohibition of work is... the media's fabrication, and if there is something, it will be officially announced at that time.' He added, 'Personally, I have always seen the media as supporters and companions and the voice of the people and artists, but if their words are not correct, which they are, I ask you to respond to me in the media without any hesitation that if I am not prohibited from working, then why has the sale of tickets in Semnan been stopped, and no one is accountable?' Reza Sadeghi asks the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance: 'Why have all my activities been stopped since the 20th of Ordibehesht, and no one is accountable?!' According to this pop singer, he has contacted the music office but has not yet received a response, and it is unclear what his situation is. He continues to say to Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili: 'Today I faced the statement that the whole matter is a rumor...' In the end, Reza Sadeghi asks the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance to 'clearly and officially state in the media whether I am currently prohibited from working and leaving the country or not! So that my status and the media, which you call rumor-mongers, can be clarified...' This comes at a time when Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili stated: 'Our media network must investigate how it is possible that a decision that has not been made is suddenly media-covered and discussed. These matters have specific regulations in the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance; we have clear procedures based on which they are examined, and if there is a problem, it is announced to individuals and is not secret at all.' Amir Maghareh, a singer from the group 'Makan Band,' was another artist who protested Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili's remarks. He wrote in his Instagram story: 'Either don't deceive the people, or say we had no information, or say yes, someone has a personal grudge (personal taste) and we are fixing it, or say it was a decision I was not aware of, I just found out on Friday morning.' Since the beginning of the recent nationwide protests in Iran, several pop singers who have supported the protesters by criticizing the government's violent crackdown have come under pressure. Although this has not been officially announced, in recent months, some singers have not been allowed to hold concerts, and it is said that some groups are also prohibited from leaving the country.