The Statement of the 'Promotion of Virtue' Headquarters in Isfahan Increases the Likelihood of Another Cancellation of Alireza Ghorbani's Concert

On the eve of Alireza Ghorbani's concert in Isfahan and just hours before the performance, the 'Promotion of Virtue' headquarters of Isfahan province issued a 'strongly worded' statement attacking the concert, using 'unprecedented' language against the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, according to the 'Etemad Online' website. The statement emphasizes that 'the value-oriented people of Isfahan believe that moral standards must be observed in this city' and suggests that 'given the opinions of Isfahan's scholars and the potential for moral corruption with a female musician, this performance should be held without a female musician.' The headquarters stated that there is 'unjustified insistence' from the Ministry of Culture on this matter and that 'controversies have arisen.' A point that strengthens the likelihood of the concert's cancellation is a part of the statement that emphasizes: 'As far as we know, no permit has yet been issued by the governor's office and the security council for this event.' This comes despite prior announcements that the first night of Alireza Ghorbani's concert was set to take place tonight, March 5, with a full orchestra. Iranian media reported on October 16 that Alireza Ghorbani canceled his concert in 'Half the World' due to the 'lack of permission for female musicians' in Isfahan. Ghorbani explained on his Instagram page that 'unfortunately, despite the extraordinary efforts and follow-ups of the executive team to hold the concert in Isfahan, the concert permit was not issued.' This prominent Iranian singer stressed that 'the description of the difficulties and complexities ahead cannot be covered in this article.' The Minister of Culture of the Islamic Republic stated in December 2022, amid public protests and government repression, that security agencies 'are constantly following up' to ensure that artistic activities are held 'normally.' Last year, following the onset of nationwide protests in various cities of Iran and the bloody crackdown on protesters, many cultural and artistic activities were halted. However, the Islamic Republic officials attempted to normalize the situation by resuming some concerts, easing some previous restrictions, and offering incentives to organizers. During last year's and this year's protests, several singers and musicians supported the protests and faced arrest and imprisonment. Tomaj Salehi has been in prison since last year, and Mehdi Yarahee has been released under electronic monitoring. Shervin Hajipour, the singer of the song 'For,' also reported on his Instagram account on March 2 that he had been sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison for the charges against him. The cancellation of Alireza Ghorbani's concert due to the presence of female musicians has sparked widespread reactions, with cultural figures warning that people have been deprived of 'everything' and that the space for 'human life' is very limited. There have been extensive reactions to the statements of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and discussions continue regarding the ongoing controversies surrounding the cancellation of Ghorbani's concert, with the Deputy Minister of Arts criticizing the Isfahan governor's office. The Ministry of Culture defended the concert ban in Mashhad, questioning whether concerts are held in the Vatican. The situation continues to create difficulties for the public and concert organizers, with Maziar Fallahi stating that the view of art in the Islamic Republic is 'security-oriented.'