Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! They are alerady banned, but as you can see, the regime can't enforce such laws. It's like alcohol, prostitution, underground parties and everything else that is "banned" in Iran, but widely available. It's essentially an unspoken understanding between Iranian government and Iranian youth.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Well, if President Ahmadashell is just hot air, that's one thing. But his remarks may lead to enforcement of the heretofore unenforced "banning" laws. Many dictators-in-training start off talking crap, then wait to see who objects & how much, then feel entitled to act out in the absence of major uproar. Time will tell.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Quick someone start sending copies of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts "I Love Rock 'n' roll"
Iran bans Rock n' Roll! http://www.bryanadams.com/onlineshop/library/lyricsarchive-kidswannarock.htm "Around the world or around the block Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock"
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Ahmadinezhad is a nobody, he's just a clown for the west's entertainment, the real power in Iran ultimately rests in the hand of Khamenei. Believe me, if there were any such plans Khamenei would have carried them out a long time ago.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Little off topic but don't you have to change your sig now? Al AHLY 2005 CAF CHAMPIONS & undefeated baby in over fifty matches! 0-2 at the World Club Championships.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! I am in Iran. Any of you travelling here would immediately change your tune, as the picture of Iran from some of these reports is almost comical. The reality is sometimes 180 degrees inopposite. The so-called "ban" discussed in the article applies to state owned television and radio. It has nothing to do with what is available in the free market. And everything is available on the free market. Western music can be overheard from loud parties that keep you awake at night in many apartments such as mine. Or from the loudspeakers of many cars which appear to want to share their music with others around them. You can go to any music shop and buy whatever albums you want. Legal or illegal they are all available. A few weeks ago, I moved to my new apartment in a middle class area of Tehran. It took me exactly a few hours to have my satellite dish installed. Every unit in this building has a satellite receiver and the regulations of the board of directors of this apartment are far less onerous than the similar ones in the US. Indeed, the only regulation was that I sign a paper holding others harmless from any damage or injury arising from my dish. (I haven't even complied with that regulation, as my dish was installed and I have not bothered giving them the paper they wanted). Satellite dishes are supposed to be illegal based on old laws on the books, but you find advertisements regarding their installation in newspapers, including coupons offering discounts. For political reasons you cannot overturn those laws easily, but for all intents and purposes they are legal.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! If even 1% of the rumors and allegations regarding Ahmadinejad on cultural issues were true, I would not be able to live here. In any case, the decree in that article applies to state radio and television. The purpose of the decree is to promote Persian music. By promoting Western music and other cultural things, a lot of money leaves the country which can instead instead be supporting Iranian musicians and artists. On the other hand, my impression and experience has been that Iran has if anything become even more lax since Ahmadinejad's election in pretending to enforce cultural issues on the private sphere. For one thing, it appears that with the conservatives in power, they no longer need to use "cultural issues" to embarrass the reformers. Instead, they have to worry about keeping the electorate happy since they will be facing elections again. For another thing, on cultural issues, the "Abadgaran" (Ahmadinejad's political party) emphasize promotion of Iranian and Islamic culture through public funding and the state aparatus, while they concede that competition from Western culture in the private sphere will make the Iranian and Islamic culture they seek to promote more dynamic and vibrant.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! But IM claims the real power rests with the elected officials. Which one of you is right?
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! I have given a synoposis of Iran's political system, including the role of unelected branches as well as the elected ones. I have done so as a lawyer, giving you the law and the practice. And this is an area I know well and one of the courses I will be teaching at a university here is comparative political systems and constitutional law. Iran has a complex system, with its own checks and balances. No single individual holds all power. The Supreme Leader has ultimate authority on certain issues, but is not involved in running the government. Indeed, the organs that run the day to day affairs of the government are not under his control. The president in Iran cannot enact laws, no more than Bush can enact laws in the US. Passing legislation is the perogative of the Iranian parliament, subject to veto powers of the Guardians Council. Hence, it is not even up to Ahmadinejad to "ban" Western music in Iran. All he can do is to issue directives on the kind of things government institutions under his control should be doing, so long as those directives don't contradict the laws. In this particular instance, his directive is not even that binding as unlike most other state organs, state radio and television is not even under the control of the government. The Supreme Leader indeed is the person who appoints the head of Iran's state broadcasting company. The president however oversees and appoints all the other heads of government agencies and ministries (e.g. ministry of foreign affairs, defense, interior, finance and economy, agriculture, social welfare, health, culture, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, etc...) The Supreme Leader appoints the top commanders of Iran's armed forces, the chief of Iran's judiciary, and head of chartitable state foundations, half the members of the Guardians Council, and the head of Iran's state broadcasting media, although even all these organs interact in a day to day basis more with the other branches in government than the office of the Supreme Leader. Unless you are pursuing a policy at odds with one of the "big ticket items" coming under the purview of the Supreme Leader, politics in Iran is about competition among different political power centers. Much of it can be parachial and narrow in focus, even petty and personal. The "independent" organs in Iran, whose leaders are nominally answerable to the Supreme Leader, often can become fiefdoms of their own with their own turf battles against both elected and other unelected organs.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Did you know that Iran invented Hair Crimping? I blame them for the entire decade.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! The important thing to remember is that, in contrast to Iraq, the Iranian people are responsible for their government and can in no way be considered innocent of the predictable consequences of their actions.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Well, there's always Johnny Abdul and "Highway To Mecca". "Are you ready to rock?"
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Film them doing it for 90 minutes and you've got the latest Abbas Kiarostami film.
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Hey! what about the wonderful song of Yusuf Islam (was known as Cat Stevens) ? will they let play it over there?
Re: Iran bans Rock n' Roll! Actually, I blame the Jews for that one. It's part of Jewfro evolution. It couldn't possibly be intelligent design.
Iran-EU hold Talks Amidst Indications the EU Might Agree to Enrichment in Iran Although EU diplomats have sounded pessimistic notes before the start of talks today between Iran and EU on Iran's nuclear program, there are indications that the EU might show flexibility in allowing uranium enrichment in Iran under certain conditions. If the proposal is accompanied by other measure that indicate a genuine desire by the EU to resolve the issues on fair and amicable terms, perhaps the resumption of talks might lead to a deal at some point in the future. Lets hope, since if such a deal is found, it would be good for everyone concerned. It would constitute the "win-win" situation Iran's top nuclear negotiator indicated Iran is looking for in any negotiations with the EU on its nuclear file. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1428101&page=2
Iran glued to TV comedy that tackles tough issues http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=1427151&page=2
Re: Iran glued to TV comedy that tackles tough issues Good thing. Satire is always a clever weapon. And gives a clear idea of iranian society more than else. Surely more than the casual speech of a single political figure. Don't be saddened by the lack of interest, too many ppl is looking only for bad news from iran, it's what they want. They don't need something which can get them to conclude that Iran is not (or not only) the backward oppressed nation they like it to be.