Tehran University Against Cafés; Contract Cancellations and Non-Renewals Have Turned Off Café Lights

Some media outlets in Iran reported that the cafés at Tehran University have not been 'closed down', but those owned by Tehran University have had their contracts 'terminated or not renewed', leaving only cafés that 'play mourning songs' operational. The newspaper 'Etemad' also covered this issue, stating that after a year, it seems the promise of the former governor of Tehran has been fulfilled with the publication of a letter attributed to the president of Tehran University. Accordingly, it has been announced that the president of Tehran University proudly wrote in this letter about the removal and collection of cafés around Tehran, whose buildings are owned by the university, stating that 'Café Panjereh, Café Ima, Café Baraka, Café Sekou, etc., have been closed at the request and order of this university.' The report mentions that the reasons for this action are 'to prevent the dissemination of non-native culture', 'to preserve authentic Iranian-Islamic culture', and 'scientific jihad for entrepreneurial university research'. The report's author quoted a café owner who stated that 'when signing a contract with the university, café owners sign a form that includes conditions they are obliged to adhere to, and if they ignore them, the university can terminate their contract and shut them down.' The clause emphasized by this café owner includes 'prohibition of tobacco use or adherence to hijab', and 'this is likely the reason for the closure of our neighboring cafés as well.' The newspaper also expressed doubts about the authenticity of the letter from the president of Tehran University, but noted that 'neither Tehran University has reacted to these closures, nor the Ministry of Science, nor even the police.' The news agency 'Defa-e-Moghadas' reported on October 8 that in central Tehran, around Tehran University, Keshavarz Boulevard, and Honarmandan Park, 'there were more than 150 cafés', and although 'over 50% of them were not economically viable', they continued to operate because, according to this government-affiliated news agency, 'all of them were funded from a financial source.' This news agency claimed that 'part of the costs of these cafés was funded by European embassies, especially one embassy that played a role in last year's unrest.' The website 'Tabnak' also wrote on October 5 in response to the publication of the letter from the president of Tehran University that 'it is unclear what the Cultural Commission of the Parliament demanded from the Minister of Science that led to the writing of this letter by the president of Tehran University.' The report's author confirmed that the management agenda of this organization in the thirteenth government has been formulated with the assumptions of the 'Second Step of the Islamic Revolution' and 'scientific jihad for entrepreneurial university research with a focus on social responsibility' has been determined. Following the hacking of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology's website, documents and evidence were published on social media, one of which was a letter on Tehran University letterhead with content that some found 'strange'. This letter, signed by the president of the university, was addressed to the Minister of Science and contained a response to a letter from the chairman of the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. In this letter, the names of several closed cafés were mentioned, emphasizing that only one café remains that 'its activities are contrary to Islamic values and the scientific and research policies of the university', and it was noted that 'unfortunately, that café is trying to continue its activities by establishing relations with outside university sections; however, with the efforts of university colleagues, it is expected that this café will also be closed soon.' Seven cafés and restaurants in Savadkuh were closed for 'not observing Islamic decorum'. The Islamic Republic's efforts to impose mandatory hijab; two bookstores in Tehran were closed. A cinema in Qom was closed for promoting the screening of a foreign film. The continued closure of businesses to combat 'immodesty'; over a thousand businesses in Gilan were closed. The Islamic Republic's efforts to impose further restrictions; online advertising under the scrutiny of the judiciary.