Minister of Culture: We Have Abandoned Holding Music Concerts in Mashhad

The Minister of Culture announced that, considering the opposition of Ahmad Alamolhoda, the representative of Ayatollah Khamenei in Khorasan Razavi, to holding music concerts in Mashhad, the ministry has "abandoned" the idea of holding concerts in this city. According to a report on Tuesday (August 16) by the IRNA news agency, Ali Jannati made these remarks on the sidelines of the fourth "Sacrifice" festival while speaking to reporters. He stated, "Given that Mashhad is adorned with the holy shrine of Imam Reza, there were opponents of concerts in this city, including the esteemed representative of the Supreme Leader in Khorasan Razavi, whose opinion we respect. Although these concerts did not have any specific problems, we have decided to abandon their continuation in this city." The Minister of Culture also mentioned that concerts will be held in other cities of Khorasan Razavi province, including Sabzevar, Nishapur, and Chenaran. He added, "It will not be acceptable at all to prevent their performance in these cities." The Minister's remarks come after Ahmad Alamolhoda, Khamenei's representative in Khorasan Razavi, stated on August 13 that Mashhad is not a tourist city where "entertainment centers" should be developed and that "concerts cannot be held next to the dome of Imam Reza." He explicitly added, "Concerts cannot be held in the city of Imam Reza, and there should be no bargaining over this issue with the people or some short-sighted officials." The Friday prayer leader of Mashhad also told those requesting to hold concerts in Mashhad, "If you want a concert, live somewhere else; why should you choose a pilgrimage city?" He stated that "every day a new campaign is launched for concerts" and labeled requests for concerts in Mashhad as "a show of force against Imam Reza," adding, "All managers and residents should know that this city has so many devoted and loving people that they will not allow you to be free in your planning and entertainment." While officials from the Ministry of Culture have repeatedly stated that "no one can comment on the content of concerts except the Ministry of Culture," it seems that in the competition between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Interior with the judiciary, the police, and hardline forces led by Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Ministry of Culture is no longer the authority on this issue, at least in the city of Mashhad. The police and the judiciary in Mashhad have not issued permits for any concerts for months or have repeatedly canceled music concerts, including those of Kayan Kalhor and Shahram Nazeri, despite these concerts having permits from the Ministry of Culture. The confrontation between the executive and judicial branches regarding concert performances in Mashhad has reached a point where, in mid-August, Gholamali Sadeqi, the prosecutor of Mashhad, announced that by the decision of the judiciary of Khorasan Razavi and until a "framework" for holding concerts is determined in the provincial public culture council, no concerts will be held in this province. Alamolhoda had threatened in July that the judiciary would not allow "the Islamic Republic of Iran to become a center for the development of corruption and vice." He added, "Fortunately, we have a decisive judiciary, and our young prosecutors across the country will not allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to become a center for the development of corruption and vice." Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture, despite delegating the decision-making about music to Khamenei's representative in Mashhad, has called holding concerts across the country "legal" and added, "It should also be noted that the concerts we hold are without problems." In this context, the prosecutor of Mashhad announced the temporary cancellation of all concerts in Khorasan Razavi province. The Minister of Interior stated that only the Ministry of Culture can comment on the content of concerts. The Minister of Culture stated that the judiciary's reasons for canceling concerts are unfounded. Support for Mashhad's representative regarding Alamolhoda's stance on not holding concerts.