Rouhani Calls for Establishing 'Three to Four Principles' for Book Censorship

Hassan Rouhani, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated that 'we cannot create 100 principles for censorship' and called for the establishment of 'three or four principles' for book censorship in Iran. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Rouhani mentioned 'ethics, sacred values, national interests, and security' as his proposed principles for censorship in Iran during a speech in Tehran on Sunday, February 8. Referring to the 'red lines' in Iran, he added, 'This red line that they say is either a triangle or a square or a trapezoid, we no longer have a thousand sides; we have had many-sided shapes, but not this many.' The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) also reported that Rouhani stated, 'Oversight of books should be gradually handed over to the relevant authorities.' He explained that 'publishers, writers, and prominent professors should come to oversee. If a book is printed and read, should it have to go through seven trials again for a second printing?' The responsibility for the censorship of books published in Iran lies with a special department within the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Before being elected to this position, Rouhani promised to abolish pre-publication censorship of books and to postpone it until after the books are published. Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of the Eleventh Government, also confirmed this issue but later retracted his statement. Meanwhile, many conservatives and representatives of this faction in the parliament strongly oppose the removal of censorship or book censorship in Iran. However, in his remarks on February 8, Rouhani called for not being overly meticulous in the field of books and media.